There’s a common misconception that artificial intelligence is applicable only to big ideas like automated cars and humanoid robots. While those are definitely in the works, AI is also being implemented widely on a smaller scale for things like financial and legal tools, healthcare software, advertising platforms and, as detailed in this article, recruiting and HR tools.
AI in HR
“Accept the fact that AI will change our work,” Luxoft’s vice president of global marketing Przemek Berendt said, “but look at it as an enabler of your work and the future of talent acquisition.”
The following companies are doing just that.
Examples of AI in HR, Recruiting and Retention
Top Companies Developing AI for HR and Recruiting
- Paradox
- Hirevue
- iCIMS
- Textio
- Phenom People
- Jobvite
- XOR.ai
- Upwork
- Bullhorn
- Eightfold AI
Chatbots and AI Assistants
Companies increasingly rely on chatbots in their everyday operations. From marketing to customer service, bots are a quick way to automate busy work and free up time for more important tasks. For example, recruiters must filter through hundreds or even thousands of candidates. Add to that vetting, skill-matching and interview scheduling, and it becomes an even more daunting process. The following companies implement AI bots and assistants to more quickly and efficiently guide talent through application processes, match talent to the most relevant opportunities and answer questions through natural language processing.
Founded: 2015
Location: Munich, Germany
Personio’s software covers important HR functions ranging from applicant tracking and onboarding to payroll and staff training. The technology includes AI-powered capabilities that are meant to make people management operations more efficient. For example, the Personio Conversations solution uses AI to answer employees’ questions through platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Founded: 2015
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Nowsta is an HR tech platform that allows companies to source, hire, manage and analyze their workforce. Nowsta says its platform uses AI-powered workforce analytics that help customers see patterns, such as high turnover rates in specific departments, in order to allow organizations to not only identify those patterns, but quickly address underlying causes and deploy retention strategies. The company also has an AI-powered scheduling solution that provides customers with precise staffing predictions and personalized scheduling options based on employee preferences or performance.
Founded: 2016
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Paradox provides an AI-powered assistant for recruiters and job seekers. The assistant, named Olivia, engages with candidates on web, mobile and social channels to learn about their skills, expertise and relevant job experience. Olivia then presents candidates with next steps, schedules interviews and answers company- or process-related questions using natural language technology.
Founded: 2004
Location: South Jordan, Utah
Hirevue enables companies to deliver a more engaging candidate experience with conversational AI and automation capabilities. A recruiting assistant can hold text-based conversations with individuals, guiding them to the jobs that best fit their skill sets. In addition, Hirevue’s AI recruiting assistant sends follow-up messages and updates candidate statuses to speed up the hiring process.
Founded: 2000
Location: San Jose, California
TextRecruit is iCIMS’s engagement platform that employs text and live chat to interact with candidates and employees. The platform’s chatbot is customized to a company’s brand and voice, maintaining a company’s culture even through talent pipelines. Beyond recruitment, the platform also carries over into employee life by helping with onboarding and reminders about things like open enrollment for health insurance.
Founded: 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Because digital ads and job postings have become a crucial part of recruiting, Textio is equipping HR teams with its augmented writing assistant. Textio Flow is a tool that assists recruiters with job posts, composing ads that match a company’s brand while avoiding pitfalls like niche language and hidden biases. The company has received accolades for the strides it’s made in augmented technology, earning a spot on Forbes’ AI 50 list.
Founded: 2010
Location: Ambler, Pennsylvania
Phenom People gives companies the ability to provide a personalized hiring process with its AI-driven chatbot. During an initial text-based conversation, the Phenom Bot asks candidates questions to match them with ideal jobs and narrow down the talent pool. If an individual is deemed a potential match, Phenom’s chatbot takes scheduling tasks off the plates of recruiters by offering available time slots to the candidate.
Founded: 2006
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
With its Evolve Talent Acquisition Suite, Jobvite offers a more efficient recruiting workflow through chatbot services. HR and recruitment teams can rely on the company’s chatbot to ask candidates questions, answer inquiries, send relevant links and screen candidates. By taking advantage of Jobvite’s AI-backed chatbot, recruiters can reach wider audiences while shortening the process of selecting best-fit candidates for open roles.
Founded: 2017
Location: San Jose, California
XOR.ai is an AI assistant tool helping companies recruit in industries like tech, retail, healthcare and restaurants. It implements chatbots to engage with applicants and candidates, enhancing the application process and decreasing drop-off rates. XOR also schedules interviews and asks questions to learn about each candidate’s experience and skills.
Hiring and Matching Platforms
Finding a job can be a challenge, but these companies try to make it easier. They develop AI algorithms to match job seekers with roles that fit them best. And some of them are completely anonymous so candidates won’t worry about being found out by their current managers.
Founded: 2004
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Upwork powers its online work marketplace with AI and automation technology to create a seamless experience for both job and talent seekers. Advanced algorithms organize talent pools according to a range of markers, such as industry and types of projects completed. Because Upwork’s tools keep in mind certain traits, businesses can quickly find candidates who meet their preferred requirements.
Founded: 1999
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Bullhorn integrates AI into its talent platform, allowing recruiters to reach out to candidates with automated messages and chatbot conversations. Candidates also receive suggestions from Bullhorn’s AI regarding relevant jobs, so businesses can match candidates with positions that suit their backgrounds well.
Founded: 2016
Location: Santa Clara, California
Eightfold AI leverages AI to match companies with quality candidates while avoiding the limits of resume reviews. The company’s talent intelligence platform distinguishes between factors like Validated Skills and Likely Skills, measuring an individual’s true potential. It also features equal opportunity algorithms, so biases don’t prevent businesses from hiring the most qualified candidates.
Founded: 2014
Location: Fully Remote
Rather than rely solely on experience, companies can seek out candidates with the right skills through Beamery’s talent lifecycle management platform. This AI-based tool conducts unbiased talent searches, considering each individual’s potential and skill set. Companies can also compare prospective hires to current high-performing employees, getting a better sense of whether a candidate is a good fit or not.
Founded: 2017
Location: Fully Remote
HR teams use WorkStep to screen candidates and conduct skills assessments to find the best fit for each role. Plus, the platform automates scheduling to ease the workload of recruiters further. Once a company makes a hire, it can monitor employee progress and provide timely check-ups to retain new members longer and build stronger relationships with employees.
Founded: 2017
Location: New York, New York
Worksome has crafted a platform that makes it easier for companies to find freelancers and secure top talent that meets compliance standards. The company’s platform harnesses AI technology to automate tasks, such as creating contracts and completing payments. Landing a partnership with GENIE, Worksome has reinforced its commitment to AI and helping companies develop high-quality talent pools of freelancers.
Founded: 2016
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
An artificial intelligence platform by Leoforce, ARYA identifies quality talent for recruiters through data, behavioral patterns and machine learning. Beyond discovery, ARYA connects with candidates via personalized messages and saves time by steering high-quality job seekers directly to recruiters. ARYA also frees up time for recruitment teams by automating tasks and performing much of the legwork behind recruiting, which allows for more quality engagement with candidates.
Founded: 2010
Location: San Francisco, California
Entelo sifts through millions of candidates using artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to connect employers with new team members. Its machine learning platform, Envoy, frees up time for recruiters, unbiasedly sourcing top candidates and delivering them to a recruiter’s inbox. As a result, companies can land top-notch talent while reducing the time it takes to fill open positions.
Founded: 2015
Location: Mountain View, California
Previously known as Hiretual, HireEZ sources talent through AI technology, aggregating more than 800 million professional profiles across the web and 45 public platforms and analyzing information about experience, skills, market value and availability. The company’s platform also automates tasks like sending out emails and scheduling interviews, creating a smoother recruiting experience for all parties involved.
Founded: 2015
Location: Denver, Colorado
RampUp is a career tool for technology, medical sales, HVAC, aesthetics and digital health industries. Using AI to sift through jobs and candidates, RampUp works with companies of all sizes and candidates from a variety of backgrounds to make the best matches. The company’s Radar platform provides quality fit scores and automation features, so recruiters can locate ideal candidates and funnel them through the hiring process as quickly as possible.
HR Operations
Founded: 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Veritone offers a variety of enterprise AI solutions, including Veritone Hire, which supports talent acquisition strategy. Businesses can use Veritone Hire’s AI-powered advertising capabilities to reach job seekers through optimized postings across multiple platforms and streamline spending management for recruiting campaigns.
Founded: 1937
Location: Vernon Hills, Illinois
HR teams use Wonderlic’s predictive assessments to bolster hiring and employee development efforts. The company also has a team dedicated to incorporating AI into HR tech solutions. Its projects have included developing a tool that uses AI to analyze job descriptions and identify the skills and knowledge needed for the position.
Founded: 2012
Location: San Francisco, California
Gusto has a variety of products and solutions to meet businesses’ recruiting, hiring, talent management and other HR needs. The company is using AI to power payroll tools that are meant to reduce time-consuming manual tasks for accountants. Gusto’s other AI-enabled solutions for small businesses include a job post generator, automations for dealing with tax notices and a digital assistant for generating custom reports.