Adopting the mindset for AI-first recruiting

The Gem team spoke with recruiting leaders Michael Adair, Jeremy Lyons, and Dinaaz Tawileh to gather the latest in AI-first recruiting in this newest content series.

Fifty-eight percent of TA leaders see AI as a game-changer for hiring. But here's the catch. Most recruiters are scratching their heads, wondering, "How do I actually make this work for my team?"

Imagine cutting hiring time in half, finding better candidates faster, and saving money while you're at it. That’s what AI has done for many organizations like Faire. But knowing AI is powerful is one thing. Actually, putting it to work is a whole different ballgame. Most teams are stuck in the "sounds awesome" phase but haven't made it happen.

Embracing an AI-first mindset requires recruiters to shift their approach to hiring, decision-making, and candidate engagement — reshaping their thinking about recruiting.

The AI-first recruiting mindset: Why it matters

As you consider how to foster an AI-first mindset within your organization, it's vital to recognize where your team currently stands. An AI-first mindset is more of a spectrum than a binary state. Where does your team fall on the AI adoption journey? Rather than simply being for or against AI, teams typically progress through four stages — from resistance to fully native:

• AI-resistant: skeptical of any automation

• AI-curious: experimenting with basic tools

• AI-enabled: integrating multiple AI solutions

• AI-first: building comprehensive strategies around AI 

Identifying your team's current position on this spectrum provides crucial context for your transformation efforts. It helps you determine the right pace of change and the appropriate next steps to move your organization toward a truly AI-first approach to talent acquisition.

What happens when your team moves from merely 'AI-curious' to embracing an 'AI-first' mindset? You're no longer just filling positions. You're capturing market-defining talent while your competitors are still sifting through resumes manually. 

How much more could your team accomplish with this shift? This transition requires more than just implementing new technologies. It demands a mindset shift that recognizes AI's potential to transform how TA professionals identify, engage, and secure top talent.

Building your AI roadmap

When beginning your AI-first journey, focus on the problem you must solve rather than being blinded by "cool tech." Regardless of where your team is on the AI adoption spectrum, here are three concrete actions you can take today:

1. Foundation and change management

• Identify the most urgent recruiting pain points that AI could solve. A simple exercise like conducting a time audit can identify the activities that are prime candidates for an AI upgrade.

• Audit your current tech stack to identify gaps and opportunities to upgrade or add technology based on your priorities.

• Evaluate AI-powered hiring tools that align with your business goals.

• Establish clear governance frameworks to oversee AI implementation, usage, and ethical considerations.

• Secure buy-in from key stakeholders by connecting AI to business outcomes. 

• Identify 2-3 champions to form your AI learning cohort — give them dedicated time to research and test AI recruiting tools. This creates internal champions while developing expertise that will accelerate your broader implementation.

2. Team enablement and culture shift

• Develop change management strategies to help teams transition. This is where internal champions will play a key role.

• Train your team to use AI effectively. To build comfort, start with one high-impact area (like sourcing or screening). Hands-on workshops can be your best friend.

• Embrace a data-driven culture where data is regularly collected for ongoing assessment and issue reporting.

• Plan for skills evolution as recruiters shift from administrative tasks to strategic talent advisors.

3. Continuous optimization and measurement

• Create feedback loops between recruiters, hiring managers, and AI systems to improve accuracy over time. 

• Measure impact through defined KPIs that connect recruiting outcomes to broader business objectives.

• Continuously refine AI models to ensure they align with your evolving business needs.

• Address bias and diversity concerns proactively through regular audits and algorithm adjustments.

• Share successes and learnings to drive wider organizational adoption.

This transformation to an AI mindset represents a technological evolution and a fundamental cultural shift that, when executed effectively, positions organizations to attract and retain top talent more efficiently while creating a competitive advantage in an increasingly talent-driven marketplace.

Addressing your team’s top AI concerns

Concern #1: "AI will replace our recruiting jobs."
Reality: AI excels at repetitive tasks but struggles with relationship building, complex decision-making, and nuanced candidate assessment. Are you framing AI as a threat or tool that gives your team superpowers? This perspective reframes AI from a perceived threat to strategic advantage, allowing recruiters to focus on high-value activities like relationship building and candidate experience while automation handles repetitive tasks. 

Concern #2: "AI will depersonalize our candidate experience."
Reality: When implemented thoughtfully, AI enhances personalization by freeing recruiters to spend more time in meaningful candidate interactions. Teams that automate administrative tasks often report having significantly more time for personalized candidate conversations and relationship building. 

Concern #3: "AI tools are too complex and will disrupt our workflow."
Reality: Modern AI recruiting tools are designed with user-friendly interfaces in mind. Start small with intuitive solutions that address immediate pain points, and let your team gradually adapt. Most Gem AI users report a surprisingly short learning curve and see efficiency gains within weeks.

Concern #4: "AI might introduce bias into our hiring process."
Reality: While poorly designed AI can reinforce bias, thoughtfully developed AI can actively reduce it. Look for solutions with transparent algorithms and regular bias audits. For instance, Gem AI flags subjective or vague criteria that might lead to bias, helping to create a fairer screening process. Our AI-powered solutions also undergo a regular third-party bias audit to ensure fairness. 

Communicating to executive leaders: Executive leadership plays a crucial role in this transformation by positioning AI adoption. Your executive sponsors need to see beyond the 'shiny new tech.' Help them understand that AI isn't just another recruiting tool — it's a powerful ROI driver. When you show them concrete improvements in quality of hire, time-to-fill, and diversity metrics, you'll transform AI from a nice-to-have into a strategic priority.

Measuring ROI through AI in recruiting

Investing in AI-first recruiting can deliver substantial ROI that can be measured across four core areas:

1. Cost savings

• Reduced recruiting tech spend (consolidating ATS, CRM, sourcing tools).

2. Efficiency gains

• Faster time-to-hire → Revenue impact from filling roles quicker.

• Reduction in manual tasks → Recruiter bandwidth freed for strategic work.

3. Hiring quality and retention

• Quality of Hire (QoH)/ Quality of Impact (QoI) improvements – measuring how AI-selected candidates perform post-hire.

• Retention rates – lower turnover from better candidate-job matching.

4. Candidate and hiring manager experience

• Candidate NPS improvement – AI ensures faster, smoother hiring experiences,  leading to better candidate experience.

• Hiring Manager NPS improvement – AI helps managers get stronger, faster hires.

By systematically tracking these metrics and communicating results to leadership, TA teams can prove that AI isn’t just a tech upgrade — it’s a strategic investment that delivers business value. 

From AI mindset to AI implementation

Moving from AI concepts to real-world talent acquisition implementation demands action. While challenges exist in selecting the right solutions and managing organizational change, AI's potential makes it an essential investment for forward-thinking talent acquisition teams. 

Organizations that balance technology with human expertise win twice. They improve their recruiting today and build better workforces for tomorrow's competitive talent market.

• Michael Adair, Managing Partner at Growth by Design Talent

Coming up next in this knowledge series:

•  How an AI-first AIO facilitates proactive hiring – Learn how AI-powered AIOs transform reactive hiring practices into a strategic competitive advantage.

Stay tuned for the next blog as we examine the development of successful AI-first recruiting strategies built for long-term TA success.