73% of UK Recruiters Now Use AI in Hiring Processes

TL;DR: A Zinc survey of 1,000 UK HR professionals reveals 73% use AI in recruitment, with 62% deploying it for candidate screening and 37% automating rejections. However, 71% believe automation removes personalisation, creating tension between efficiency and candidate experience.

AI has become embedded across nearly every stage of recruitment, from writing job descriptions to rejecting candidates. But whilst automation promises speed and efficiency, it’s creating a sense of detachment for both candidates and recruiters, according to new research from background-checking platform Zinc.

Widespread AI Deployment

The survey reveals extensive AI adoption: 62% of HR teams rely on AI to screen candidates, 55% use it to write job descriptions, 47% deploy AI to move candidates through the hiring funnel, and over a third (37%) automate rejections entirely. Seventy-three per cent of HR teams report using AI because it’s a business priority, raising questions about how much automation is appropriate.

Charlotte Hall, Co-founder at Zinc, identifies the core tension: “AI is supposed to make hiring smarter, not colder. Candidates want clarity and connection—not an experience that feels generated by a machine. The irony is that AI can make hiring more human if used thoughtfully. It can take care of the admin, freeing recruiters to do what machines can’t: build real relationships.”

The Human Cost of Automation

Seventy-one per cent of HR professionals believe automation removes personalisation from the hiring process. The research paints a picture of an industry struggling to balance efficiency with empathy. HR teams face pressure to review hundreds of applications whilst avoiding bad hires—70% said they couldn’t afford to make a bad hire in the current economic climate.

The disconnect extends beyond initial screening. Seventy-five per cent of HR teams have had to delay hires due to slow background checks, and 40% reported new hires leaving within six months because the role wasn’t what they expected. Given that 59% of HR professionals admit using platforms like ChatGPT to draft interview questions and candidate tasks, AI use risks acting as a barrier to businesses finding what they’re truly seeking.

Looking Forward

Despite automation, speed remains elusive. Eighty-four per cent of recruiters said senior hires take longer than a month, with 15% reporting over two months—giving disengaged candidates ample time to look elsewhere. As recruiters continue experimenting with tools to generate interview tasks, screen CVs, and predict performance, the tension between efficiency and empathy is playing out simultaneously.

The future of hiring will depend on how well companies can combine technological efficiency with human connection. As Hall notes, thoughtful AI deployment can free recruiters to focus on relationship-building rather than administrative tasks—but only if automation enhances rather than replaces the human elements of recruitment.

Source Attribution:

Share this article