Over half of firms are still holding off using AI for recruitment as human fears persist

• One in four UK workers say they’d be less likely to apply for a job due to AI screening
• 78% of global applicants are still using AI at some point in their recruitment process
• Report calls for more training opportunities to find meaningful use cases

New Morgan McKinley research has claimed more than half (55%) of UK employers still don’t use AI in recruitment – putting Britain far behind the global average of 36% non-users.

And on the other side of the process, UK jobseekers are also apparently wary of AI being used to assess them, with more than a quarter (28%) saying AI-based assessments would make them less likely to apply for a job (again, more than the 23% global average).

However, concerns over AI’s usage are clearly more pronounced in certain areas, because 78% of global candidates use AI at some point in their job searching journey.

Recruiters and applicants are still wary about AI’s use in recruitment

Ultimately, it seems that AI could be obscuring human assessment processes, for example two in five UK employers say the use of AI has made it harder to verify applicants’ skills. Head hunters also note that AI has led to a higher volume of applications they’re having to process, likely increasing quantity but not quality.

“As candidates increasingly use AI in their job searches and employers grapple with verifying skills and experience, organisations will need to balance the benefits of AI with transparency and human oversight,” Morgan McKinley UK Senior MD Chris Lawton explained.

More broadly, it’s clear that job-related concerns continue to plague AI adoption, with nearly half (46%) of global employees worried that AI could replace their job, even though 64% of employers say it hasn’t actually impacted headcount.

Moving forward, the report calls for a more meaningful approach to AI adoption with supported training opportunities. With just one in four workers believing their employer is investing adequately in their AI development and Morgan McKinley data revealing that two-thirds (68%) have had either inadequate or zero AI training, this area is clearly lacking.

“Organisations need to give their people the skills, guidance and governance to use AI effectively and responsibly, rather than leaving individuals to navigate this transition alone,” Lawton concluded.