Using AI in hiring can enhance recruitment, but only if we keep humanity at the center of the process.

Day three of the “Hire Innovations” summit explored how AI is transforming hiring, from improving efficiency to ethical concerns and the risk of losing the human element. Our panelists tackled these complexities and offered strategies for using AI responsibly and effectively in recruitment.

Meet the Speakers

• Austin Anderson – CTO of Recruitics
• Andrew Gardner – Co-founder of Humanly
• Sahil Mansuri – CEO and Co-founder of Bravado

Watch the Full Discussion Here

AI Augmented Candidates: The Rise of Centaurs

Austin Anderson kicked off the day by discussing the concept of the “Centaur candidate”—job seekers who use AI tools to augment their application process.

According to Austin, this shift is changing the rules of the game for recruiters. From AI-generated resumes to automated interview copilots, AI is giving candidates new ways to stand out—or blend in.

Austin laid out the reasons why candidates are adopting these tools. Chief among them is a frustration with the “ATS black hole,” where applications seem to vanish without a trace.

Candidates are responding by using AI to boost their chances of getting noticed. But this poses challenges for recruiters, who need to determine whether they’re talking to a real person or just a well-crafted AI persona.

“A lot of candidates feel like their applications are going into a black hole,” Austin said. “AI tools are their way of trying to break through.”

Austin suggested practical responses, like relying more on in-person interviews and soft skills assessments—areas where AI augmentation is still limited. He also emphasized the importance of reviewing and auditing ATS systems to ensure good candidates aren’t lost to automated screening errors.

Key Takeaways from Austin’s Session

1. Candidates are increasingly using AI to augment their applications, making it harder to discern between real and AI-assisted applicants.
2. In-person interviews and soft skills assessments are effective ways to verify authenticity.
3. Regularly audit ATS systems to ensure that qualified candidates aren’t getting filtered out.

Demystifying AI in Hiring: Finding Magical Moments

Andrew Gardner took the virtual stage next, focusing on how AI can create “magical moments” in recruitment—those small, significant enhancements that elevate the process. He encouraged recruiters to stop thinking of AI as a robot that does it all and instead view it as a tool that makes everyday workflows smoother.

Andrew shared practical ways to leverage AI for sourcing, screening, and automating repetitive tasks like scheduling. He highlighted how AI can pre-write outreach emails or auto-schedule interviews, freeing recruiters to focus on more human-centric aspects of their work.

“AI isn’t here to replace you,” Andrew noted. “It’s here to make your work easier, so you can spend more time on what matters—connecting with people.”

His advice to HR professionals? Challenge vendors to be transparent about how their AI tools work.

Don’t settle for the buzzword—ask for specifics and demand to see how the technology can make a real impact on your daily tasks.

Key Takeaways from Andrew’s Session

1. AI can create efficiencies in sourcing, screening, and automating tasks, freeing up recruiters for human engagement.
2. AI should be seen as a helper, not a replacement—focus on how it can enhance your workflows.
3. Always ask vendors to explain how their AI tools work and verify their effectiveness.

Bringing Humanity Back to Recruiting

Sahil Mansuri wrapped up the day with a compelling argument for using AI to make recruiting more human.

Instead of focusing solely on what tasks AI can take over, recruiters should use it to spend more time building relationships and trust with candidates.

Sahil pointed out that the over-automation of recruiting—think one-click applications and ATS keyword filtering—has led to a disconnection between recruiters and candidates. “Recruiting is a deeply human process,” Sahil said. “AI should be used to give recruiters more time for conversations, not less.”

The goal, he said, should be to bring back that human element. AI can take on repetitive, time-consuming tasks, allowing recruiters to do what they do best: make meaningful connections.

Sahil emphasized that recruiting is fundamentally a sales job—one that requires empathy, trust, and genuine engagement. AI can assist by handling the admin work, but the power of recruiting will always lie in the human-to-human interactions.

Key Takeaways from Sahil’s Session

• Use AI to automate repetitive tasks, allowing recruiters more time to connect personally with candidates.
• Recruiting is fundamentally about building trust and relationships—AI should enhance, not replace, this aspect.
• Focus on leveraging AI to support, not substitute, the human aspects of hiring.

Final Thoughts

AI is here to stay, but it’s up to recruiters to decide how to use it. The future of hiring doesn’t have to be impersonal—it can be more human than ever, if we use technology to clear the path for genuine relationships. As we navigate the rise of AI, let’s keep in mind that the best tools are those that make us more human, not less.