AI and the Future of IT Recruitment

Abstract: The use of artificial intelligence tools is rapidly increasing. Companies are now looking to use AI for recruitment in order to try to ensure a more fair process. This thesis aims to answer the question “How do recruiters in the Swedish IT sector perceive the effectiveness of AI tools in mitigating bias within the recruitment process?”. While some recruiters see AI as a tool to increase objectivity and fairness in applicant selection, others are cautious believing the lack of transparency and explainability makes AI an unreliable resource. Previous literature includes the prevalence of bias in recruitment, and explains the difference in bias between different AI tools, but does not elaborate much of its perceived value by the human users themselves, a large component in its practical application and value. To answer this question, a quantitative analysis in the form of a questionnaire was conducted, and the responses analyzed. Results show that recruiters trust in their own ability to identify bias, but not the ability of others, pointing to human factors being the main reason for the emergence of bias in recruiting and AI. AI tools are perceived as slightly more trustworthy, but are not deemed effective in their current state.