In recent times, the introduction of large language models (LLMs) such as Bard, OpenAI, and other similar technologies has taken the commercialization of artificial intelligence (AI) to uncharted territories. The rapid progression of AI has been monumental, its value for consumers is not only becoming progressively evident but more so, increasingly accessible.

The Gold rush era of AI

There's no denying that we are in a transformative era that could be likened to a 'Gold Rush' in AI. One data point that suggests the business importance of AI is the number of AI mentions in tech companies earning calls. Earnings call a way for publicly listed companies to talk to investors. With the rising number of mentions of AI, analysts suggest that tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft all want to position themselves in the forefront of AI, leading the stock market to invest even more in them.

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With the advent of AI, the landscape of numerous job sectors is undergoing a metamorphosis. Boring and or mundane tasks like drafting emails or combating writer's block are swiftly becoming challenges of the past. Surely, it’s a win-win for everyone involved, right?

What happens when everyone has access to AI?

These innovative technologies are already integrating themselves into our lives and their impact will persist and grow over the next 12-24 months. But as AI becomes universally accessible, one begs the question: will it continue to provide a competitive edge for companies? If so, how?

Talent acquisition in the AI era

Recruitment, by its very nature, is a competitive domain. In a way it’s a zero-sum game: if your competitor recruits a talent, your opportunity is lost. The commercialization of AI and similar technologies may level the playing field to an extent, making everyone seem more efficient. However, in this brave new world, our most competitive advantage may just revert back to our human recruiters. Let's explore why.

The pitfalls of recruitment automation:

We've witnessed countless companies aiming to automate their entire recruitment process. It comes in many different shapes and versions, but ultimately it goes something like this.

• Software is deployed for capacity planning.
• An AI system drafts the job description and posts jobs online.
• Another AI mechanism creates an outbound campaign.
• Candidates are requested to undergo an online procedure and complete an automated assessment. Which they automatically do without obstacles.
• A chatbot oversees the entire recruiting process and maintains candidate interaction.
• An algorithm 

Great right? 

However, the quest for a full automated talent acquisition process often proves to be flawed. Despite the efficiency gains projected on paper, the fundamental issues persist:

• The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) remains vague or unclear, why should candidates invest their precious time?
• Job descriptions lack inspiration, failing to communicate what's in it for the candidate.
• Outreach messages are bland and impersonal (just look at how many generic sales emails you get every day)
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Many organizations, lured by the promise of speed, fail to invest in refining their processes, formulating compelling EVPs, tailoring job descriptions to cater to the candidate's perspective, and totally ignore the fact that changing job is a big emotional thing to do for all candidates. Meaning, you really need to be convinced why you should leave your existing workplace and move to another unknown entity, that is yet a problem technology has not been able to solve.

The Human Element in the AI era

That brings us to an essential question: So how does AI fit into the future of talent acquisition?

As we see it, AI is not about replacing humans, but rather, augmenting our abilities and enhancing our efficiency. While AI can add immense value to talent acquisition, it doesn't replace the uniquely human facets of recruiting - personal touch, intuition, and human connection.

Therefore, even in an era where AI is universally accessible, the natural competitive edge lies not in the technology alone, but in how effectively we marry it with our irreplaceable asset - human talent. Ultimately, the best results are produced when we use AI to bolster human decision-making, not as a replacement. Just like the calculator replaced handwritten calculations and Excel replaced the calculator, generative AI is already replacing some of the more mundane tasks for TA professionals.

Efficiency versus Effectiveness

This conundrum that we've termed the "efficiency trap" is a red flag for organizations. While it's tempting to utilize AI to speed up processes, we must resist the allure of mere efficiency and focus more on effectiveness.

At the end of the day, recruitment is about connecting with people - understanding their aspirations, skills, and potential, and then matching these to the right opportunities. No AI, however sophisticated, can genuinely replicate the human touch, empathy, and instinctive judgment a seasoned recruiter brings to the table (yet at least). And to be perfectly clear, even with a perfect match, humans still want to communicate with humans when taking on big decisions.

The Future is Human and AI

Let's remember that the goal of technology is to make our lives better, not to replace us. The future we foresee in talent acquisition is not a dystopian world where robots replace human recruiters. Instead, it's a future where AI is a powerful ally that augments our abilities and makes us better at our jobs.

The revolution in the recruitment landscape that AI brings is not a threat to human recruiters but an opportunity. It’s a catalyst for us to focus more on the strategic and human aspects of our roles. So, instead of fearing the AI revolution, let's embrace it and use it to enhance our capabilities and elevate the recruitment profession to new heights.