Back to the blog

What Are We Doing With AI In Recruiting?

Past generations likely would have begged for the levels of efficiency and cost savings that current talent recruiters can achieve today with AI. Will Hayes, COO here at IDR, is breaking down exactly how we use AI for recruiting and what it means for talent acquisition in general.

This is all good news for companies that need talent solutions faster and with deeper insights for better matches. The same is true for tech candidates who want to ensure greater visibility in the job search. 

A few key takeaways to keep in mind:

• 37% of talent organizations are actively integrating or experimenting with AI
• Without good follow-up, AI tools can quickly backfire
• AI should be your starting point, not your spokesperson
• IDR strategically uses AI tools across sales, recruiting, and operations
• The future of staffing isn’t human or AI, it’s human with AI

How do you see AI currently impacting the recruiting process, both positively and negatively?

AI has transformed the recruiting process by making engagement scalable, enabling teams to respond to and interview every candidate who shows interest. However, without the right follow-up automation, it can quickly backfire, creating an even worse candidate experience than not even responding in the first place. 

The most effective solution for AI in recruiting is:

• AI-augmentation, not replacement
• Human oversight at every opportunity
• Transparency in the present and openness for the future
  

What are the most valuable ways recruiters can leverage AI without losing the human touch? 

Utilizing AI to “get you started” is the best way to approach it. Ensuring the information is reviewed by a human recruiter is critical, whether responding to a message or following up on an AI-driven interview. 

In other words, AI should be your starting point, not your spokesperson. Use it to draft outreach or summarize interviews, but ensure every message and decision is reviewed with human judgment and empathy.

How does it work at IDR, and how have you integrated AI tools into day-to-day recruiting or operations?

• Recruiting: AI-driven search, shortlisting, and interview automation accelerate candidate matching while preserving recruiter review.
• Sales: Intelligent sequencing and outreach campaigns enhance consistency and timing.
• Operations: RPA and chat agents streamline payroll, integrations, and support.
• Analytics & Tech: Predictive modeling and data enhancement improve visibility into pipelines and performance.
• Meet Jamie: Our internal AI-powered recruiter offers a quicker, more efficient job search with IDR.

What advice would you give to recruiters who are worried AI might replace parts of their role?

AI won’t replace recruiters, but recruiters who use AI will replace those who don’t. Embrace the shift early so you can focus on the high-value work that only humans do well: building trust and relationships. 

Recruiters who fail to adapt to these new ways of operating will struggle to keep up in the long run. It’s not too late to adjust, but it will be in the coming year. Let it replace those mundane tasks so you can focus more on relationship-building.

Looking ahead to 2026, how do you think AI will continue shaping the talent landscape?

By 2026, the staffing industry will see a rise in hybrid deployments, specifically human consultants supported by embedded AI agents that handle data processing, automation, and augmentation. 

A company that once deployed 12 contract developers might soon deploy 2, and each will be paired with an AI agent that scales their output and margin. The future of staffing isn’t human or AI, it’s human with AI. 

The firms that blend empathy with automation will define the next era of workforce solutions. 

Here’s What The Data Says About AI In Recruiting

AI adoption among recruiters has increased: 37% of organizations actively integrating or experimenting with the new tools (27% higher than last year). (LinkedIn)[1]

Efficiency is the top benefit: The average amount of time saved has been reported as approximately 20% of the work week, or nearly a full workday saved every week. (LinkedIn)[2]

AI makes hiring more cost-effective: AI recruitment reduces cost-per-hire by as much as 30%. (SHRM LABS)[3]

AI enhances the candidate experience: 37% of recruiters agree that automating time-consuming recruiting tasks allows them to focus on more strategic activities (building relationships, reviewing data, supporting candidates, etc.) to improve the candidate experience. (LinkedIn)[4]

How To Find Top Talent or Land Your Next Dream Role 

To Find Top Talent

• Partner with an elite team using the latest tools to work faster and make stronger connections
• Define hiring goals and what success looks like on your end
• Review your onboarding process and fill any gaps to create a positive experience

To Land Your Next Dream Role

• Create or optimize your personal brand to match targeted role expectations.
• Review your resume and highlight key technical and soft skills as well as relevant projects and roles from the past. (Use AI to help optimize your resume!) 
• Prepare for future interviews by collecting skill samples, practicing interview questions, and researching your ideal companies to work for.

The future of staffing isn’t human or AI, it’s human with AI. Learn more about how IDR can help.

Sources:

[1][2][4]https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/resources/future-of-recruiting

[3]https://www.shrm.org/labs/resources/the-evolving-role-of-ai-in-recruitment-and-retention