How AI is revolutionizing the hiring process
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how organizations hire talent. Today, AI is not just a tool but a partner that supports and enhances human decision-making across all six distinct phases of the hiring process, from receiving applications to extending job offers (see Figure 1).
The Research
I collaborated with Drs. Ning-Kuang Chuang and Yung-Kuei Huang to assess Generative AI’s (GenAI) impacts throughout the hiring process using the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) AI Principles for trustworthy AI. We published our work in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, addressing four guiding questions:
RQ1. What revolutionary changes does GenAI bring into the hiring process?
RQ2. What ethical concerns arise when aligning GenAI hiring practices with the OECD AI Principles?
RQ3. How can the two hospitality and tourism (H&T) stakeholders – H&T firms and their managers, as well as job seekers remain competitive, relevant, and compliant with the OECD AI Principles amid these revolutionary changes?
RQ4. What new research ideas emerge because of the updates in the GenAI-assisted hiring process?
A Critical Assessment of the GenAI-assisted Hiring Process
To answer these research questions, we critically reviewed purposefully selected literature and industry reports, synthesizing our findings through both scholarly and our field-based perspectives. In this highlight, I focus on RQ1 and RQ2 to discuss how AI is revolutionizing the hiring process.
The Findings
We found that GenAI enhances hiring efficiency by automating repetitive tasks such as resume screening, scheduling interviews, and analyzing candidate data. For example, hotels and restaurants are using chatbots to support applicants, AI-powered video tools to assess interviews, and analytics systems to help HR managers make faster, data-driven decisions.
However, the same technology that improves efficiency also introduces new risks. Without human oversight, AI can also perpetuate bias, lack transparency, and compromise data privacy. By analyzing these developments through the OECD AI Principles of fairness, accountability, and transparency, our study calls for trustworthy AI in hiring.
We advanced six propositions to summarize the current state of GenAI practices in hiring across the six hiring phases. For instance, regarding Phase 5 (Performing Background Checks) and Phase 6 (Extending a Job Offer), we concluded:
P5: GenAI can generate a narrative of a candidate, but its validity, fairness, and credibility heavily depend on the availability, accuracy, and quality of the candidate’s digital footprint. The strategic curation of a digital footprint may influence the narratives GenAI produces about a candidate and affect how the candidate is perceived in hiring processes.
P6: GenAI can help employers and job seekers prepare, review, and negotiate employment contracts. However, its usefulness may be contingent upon the system’s ability to address the historical bias and provide clear explanations.
Advice for Organizations, Hiring Managers, and Job Seekers
Reflecting on our critical assessment, we proposed a series of actionable recommendations for both organizations and job seekers to help them navigate the still-evolving GenAI-assisted hiring process. Please stay tuned for my upcoming highlights, where I emphasize the practical implications drawn from our critical analysis. We all must prepare for the changes AI will bring to the hiring process.
Now, let's reflect: How concerned do you feel as AI becomes embedded in every step of the hiring process? What can we do to promote trustworthy AI in recruitment and selection?
Linchi Kwok
Professor at The Collins College of Hospitality Management, Cal Poly Pomona
CAL Poly Pomona
