AI: Opportunities for recruiters

Need to translate a text, organise a holiday or even generate an image? In Switzerland, the reflex is increasingly common: turn to AI and it will obey you efficiently. A recent study shows that 40% of Swiss people use tools such as ChatGPT on a daily basis. In the 15 to 19 age group, this figure rises to 70%.

It's a trend whose risks are the subject of much debate: reliability of information, risks of cheating in schools... Anything new is met with a mixture of wonder and suspicion. In the professional world, the issue is hotter than ever. Even in fields that are essentially human-centred, such as medicine or human resources, technology is interfering with practices to create new possibilities.

At Akoddis Switzerland, part of The Adecco Group, recruiting qualified staff is a daily challenge. The mission of this consulting company specialising in engineering and technology services is to provide innovative solutions in engineering, information technology, digital services and life sciences.

In this quest for profiles with very specific qualifications, likely to come from the four corners of the European Union, AI was easily integrated into the recruitment tools for the initial pre-selection of applications received. For around a year now, certain basic tasks such as filling in the candidate profile have been entrusted to AI, enabling recruiters to focus on other, higher added-value aspects.

An interesting point of view, which goes beyond the tendency to pit the use of machines against the human aspect. It is undeniable that certain professions are paying the price for artificial intelligence, but in other sectors jobs are being created and new possibilities are emerging. On this subject, Akkodis points out that technologies were created by humans.

As a result, behind every use is a human being, aware of and responsible for making good use of it. In addition, every employee of The Adecco Group has signed a charter for the use of AI in the workplace, and is reminded of these rules as soon as a connection to an AI platform is established.

Déborah Greinschgl also points out that their algorithms work by circle of professions. So if you don't use exactly the same terms in your application as on the job advert, it won't be eliminated: ‘Let's take the example of an open position for a C# developer. The AI programme will know that a .NET developer doesn't have exactly the same title, but has very similar skills. The person's application would therefore be considered, regardless of the keywords on the CV.’

The other advantage of AI is that it mitigates the cognitive biases that human intelligence is unable to overcome - consciously or unconsciously. When the programme evaluates applications, it does not take into account where the surname comes from, the colour of the skin or the gender - all elements that studies show can be detrimental to certain social groups when it comes to finding a job. A second argument in favour of AI for greater fairness.

To conclude, does artificial intelligence represent the IT revolution at its peak? There is no doubt that these new tools are contributing to the evolution of a changing world. Only time will tell what the precise impact of these technologies will be on human relations.

In the meantime, the next step is undoubtedly the question of regulation. For the moment, Switzerland regulates AI through existing laws, such as those on data protection and civil liability. The specific legislative framework is still being developed - we're looking forward to seeing what happens next.