In today’s talent market, hiring has become a complex balancing act. HR leaders are under pressure to move faster, reduce bias, improve candidate experiences, and deliver better long-term hires all while navigating new technologies and emerging regulations.
AI has quickly become one of the most powerful tools in the HR tech stack. In fact, in 2024 a whopping 90% of leaders say they have adopted AI, and 74% feel comfortable using it.
But as the dust settles from the initial wave of adoption, it’s clear: some AI applications are delivering real value, while others are being reevaluated or quietly retired.
Here’s a look at what’s trending and what’s falling out of favor when it comes to AI in hiring.
What Forward-Thinking Hiring Teams Are Embracing
1. Predictive Hiring & Workforce Planning
AI is no longer just helping with candidate screening—it's helping leaders plan for the future. Predictive analytics tools can identify emerging skill gaps, model turnover risks, and suggest hiring timelines based on business needs. This shifts recruiting from reactive to strategic. For example, The Mom Project’s Fit Factor™ technology analyzes your unique hiring patterns, workforce needs, and culture to provide tailored AI-driven recommendations.
Why it matters: Talent acquisition becomes more aligned with workforce planning, helping organizations get ahead of hiring challenges.
2. Skill-Based Matching Over Resume Filtering
Rather than relying on keyword matches or job titles, modern AI tools use natural language processing (NLP) to understand the actual skills behind a candidate’s experience. The Mom Project’s matching algorithms looks beyond the resume gaps and past job titles to enable candidates to find roles where they can thrive.
Why it matters: You expand your talent pool, uncover hidden gems, and support diversity by moving beyond traditional credentials.
3. AI-Enhanced Candidate Experience
81% of candidates are aware of and comfortable with the use of AI in recruiting. From conversational chatbots to automated interview scheduling and personalized job recommendations, AI is helping streamline and humanize the candidate journey. These tools reduce bottlenecks and offer candidates faster, clearer communication. As long as we’re not completely eliminating the human touch.
Why it matters: Improved speed-to-hire and candidate satisfaction—two key metrics in a competitive hiring environment.
4. Inclusive Job Descriptions
AI platforms are helping HR teams craft job postings that avoid biased or exclusionary language. These tools analyze how your words might impact different groups and suggest more inclusive alternatives. Independently, research has shown that changing just a few words can result in a 23 % rise in female applicants, along with a 25 % increase in qualified minority candidates.
Why it matters: You attract a broader, more diverse pool of applicants—and show candidates you care about equity from the start.
What's Falling Out of Favor
1. Opaque “Black Box” Algorithms
AI tools that make hiring decisions without explainability are being scrutinized and, in many cases, phased out. New laws—like New York City’s requirement to audit automated employment decision tools (AEDTs)—signal a shift toward accountability.
Why it matters: Lack of transparency isn’t just a legal risk—it’s a trust issue for both candidates and hiring teams.
2. Rigid Resume Screeners
Keyword-based filters have been shown to reject qualified candidates, especially those with nontraditional backgrounds or career switches. These tools are increasingly being replaced or supplemented with more holistic models.
Why it matters: Good talent is being missed. HR teams are demanding smarter filters—and a human touch.
3. Unvalidated Facial Analysis Tools
AI tools that claim to read facial expressions or tone of voice during interviews are facing significant backlash. Research has shown they can reinforce bias, and many organizations are distancing themselves from this type of tech.
Why it matters: Ethical concerns, lack of accuracy, and potential legal challenges make these tools more liability than asset.
4. Gamified Assessments With No Clear Job Link
Game-based cognitive or personality tests may look innovative but often lack validation and frustrate candidates. Increasingly, employers are returning to work sample tests and job-relevant simulations.
Why it matters: Candidates want to show how they’ll succeed in your role—not how fast they can click colored shapes.
What HR Leaders Should Do Now
Audit Your AI Tools: Ensure your vendors can explain how their algorithms work—and that they align with emerging regulations.
Use AI to Augment, Not Replace: Let AI handle scale and efficiency, but keep humans in the loop for decisions that impact people’s lives.
Build Skills-First Hiring Models: Train teams to evaluate talent based on capabilities, not credentials. AI can help—but your mindset has to shift first.
Be Transparent With Candidates: If AI is used in the hiring process, let applicants know. Transparency is becoming an employer brand differentiator.
Stay Ahead of the Compliance Curve: Laws governing AI in employment are evolving. Keep tabs on local, national, and international regulations.
The New Role of AI in Hiring
The question for HR leaders is no longer “Should we use AI?”—but rather, how and where should it be used to support smarter, fairer hiring?
The most effective talent teams are blending human judgment with AI-powered insights. They’re leaning into tools that promote equity and efficiency—and moving away from those that can’t stand up to ethical or practical scrutiny.
AI isn’t a silver bullet. But when used thoughtfully, it can help build hiring systems that are not only faster—but fundamentally better.
Our e-book, "The Future of Hiring is AI-Powered," breaks down how to harness AI without losing the human touch, and why that matters more than ever in today’s talent landscape.
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