By Aggrey Anduuru

Recently, I applied for the post of board member of a County Public Service Board. With enthusiasm, I dusted off my resume and uploaded my resume onto the recruiter’s online job portal and with a smirk thought to myself, “This is a guaranteed…I have this in the bag”. Two weeks later I was greeted by a regret email from the recruitment agency. My application had been rejected due to a failure of my resume to meet Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) compliance standards. In other words, my resume had fallen victim to the inscrutable judgment of artificial intelligence (AI).

In a world increasingly driven by technology and automation, the job application process now involves applicants navigating a digital landscape governed by ATS and AI algorithms that determine their fate with ruthless efficiency. ATS are software tools used by employers and recruiters to manage and streamline the recruitment process. ATS software helps employers organize, track, and screen large volumes of resumes and job applications more efficiently than manual methods. ATS systems are largely driven by AI and related technology. 

The application of AI in HR encompasses a wide range of functions, including recruitment, employee engagement, talent management, and workforce analytics. Take predictive analytics tools that use AI algorithms to analyze workforce data and identify trends, patterns, and potential risks related to talent acquisition and retention while AI-powered assessment tools evaluate candidates’ skills, competencies, and cultural fit through online assessments, simulations, and psychometric tests.

According to a report by the World Economic Forum, over 75% of companies worldwide are actively considering the adoption of technologies like AI within the next five years. While approximately 25% of organizations anticipate potential job displacement in specific sectors due to increased AI utilization, 50% of them believe that AI will create new employment opportunities. 

Harshwell Consulting’s article on LinkedIn highlights that human intellect is deeply rooted in cognitive activities and adaptive abilities, contrasting with AI’s goal of mimicking human behaviour to complete diverse tasks. While humans exhibit versatility in learning from experiences, adapting to changes, and exercising subjective judgment, AI excels in rapid processing, consistency, and objective decision-making based on acquired data. This would appear to indicate that human intelligence is very adept at recognizing new and existing concepts and drawing relationships between various variables that make humans more adept at learning from experiences, adapting to change and exercising “biased” judgement. 

AI technologies are trained through machine learning which involves the use of models constructed from data that on average will mimic the best human behavior to generate the best probable outcomes. Because of this unique capability, AI is often “unbiased” and very objective. It is this objectivity that is making AI be considered for carrying out routine HR tasks such as recruitment, rewards management, performance appraisal, and even handling discipline cases. 

But can AI truly be trusted to make decisions about people by relying solely on objective data? What about empathy? What about relatability? What about humanity? It is those kinds of questions that are causing people to ask about the ethical considerations behind AI-based decision-making in human-centred relations and how “unhuman decisions” impact human resources. Already there is disquiet in the industry with many professionals calling for regulated uses of AI so that it does not run amok in its decision-making as it is AI’s prerogative to be rational in its decision-making that brings it into conflict with human intelligence which is often irrational.

While AI technology offers exciting opportunities for innovation and efficiency in HR, it is essential to consider the ethical implications and ensure that human values and principles remain at the forefront of decision-making processes. As we navigate the complexities of AI-driven HR, let us strive to strike a balance between technological advancement and human-centric values, ensuring that AI serves to enhance – rather than diminish – our humanity in the workplace.

Aggrey Anduuru is an HR professional based in Nairobi and the Director Lead & Strategy at Essential People.