Recruiters make decisive shift toward responsible AI use in talent acquisition, Employ says

Summary

Recruiters are increasingly adopting AI but with a clear focus on responsible use, according to Employ Inc.’s October 2025 report. About 65% of recruiters now use AI in their workflows, and teams are weighing data privacy, human oversight and explainability as they invest in new tools. Despite a high level of satisfaction with current systems (82%), three-quarters of recruiters expect to replace their primary recruiting platform within two years — suggesting rapid movement toward flexible, AI-enabled solutions. The report also shows a shift in priorities: candidate quantity is now the top objective for more than half of recruiters, overtaking candidate quality for the first time in two years.

Key Points

65% of recruiters currently use AI in their talent-acquisition workflows.
67% of talent leaders plan to increase tech spending; 52% will invest in new recruiting technology.
82% report satisfaction with existing systems, but 76% expect to replace their primary platform within two years.
Recruiters are prioritising data privacy, human oversight and explainability when selecting AI tools.
For the first time in two years, candidate quantity has overtaken candidate quality as the top priority for most recruiters.

Context and Relevance

This report sits at the intersection of two big trends: accelerated AI adoption in HR and growing demand for ethical, transparent systems. The expected churn in core platforms indicates organisations want more flexible, scalable stacks that can incorporate AI responsibly. For HR leaders, talent-technology vendors and recruiters, the findings signal a need to balance efficiency gains from automation with safeguards around fairness and explainability. It also highlights pressure on hiring teams to widen candidate flows while working within tight budgets — a common challenge for 2025.

Why should I read this?

Quick take: if you hire people, build hiring tech or pick recruitment vendors, this is worth five minutes. The survey shows AI isn’t a gimmick any more — it’s becoming core to recruiting, but only if it comes with privacy, transparency and people in the loop. If your organisation is picking a new ATS or planning AI rollouts, the report flags the right trade-offs and priorities to consider now.