- A majority (59%) of students are concerned about the use of AI becoming more common in the job recruiting process. But non-white students are more likely than white students to be concerned (66% vs. 55%).
- About two-thirds (66%) of students say AI takes the human aspect out of hiring and is detrimental to the process.
- Female students are more likely than male students to say the use of AI during an interview would deter them from moving forward with an application (43% vs. 29%).
As more companies utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to sift through resumes and vet job applicants, college students are skeptical about the tools’ accuracy. Female students and students of color in particular worry about potential gender and racial bias in AI.
A new survey of 2,000 undergraduates finds that a majority (59%) are concerned about the use of artificial intelligence becoming more common in the job recruiting process, while 41% are not concerned. Non-white students are more likely than white students to say they are concerned about AI (66% vs. 55%).
A Majority of Students Worry About AI in Job Recruiting
How concerned are you about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) becoming more common in the job recruiting process?
About two-thirds (66%) of students say artificial intelligence takes the human aspect out of hiring and is detrimental to the process. Roughly one-third (34%), on the other hand, say artificial intelligence is a beneficial tool that allows companies to sort through large numbers of applicants.
But along with differences across racial backgrounds, a stark gender gap exists. Female students are far more likely than their male classmates to say AI harms the hiring process (73% vs. 56%).
Relying on software to assess job candidates can have unintended consequences, exemplified by Amazon ditching an AI recruiting tool that favored men over women. About 4 in 10 students worry AI would bring bias into the hiring process in the form of racism (42%), ableism (42%), and sexism (40%). Just 27% of students say they do not worry about potential bias in AI.
Female students are more likely than male students to worry about sexism in artificial intelligence (44% vs. 34%), and non-white students are more likely than white students to worry about racism (47% v. 38%).
Students today understand the hiring process is evolving, and a majority expect large companies to use AI tools to analyze background checks (84%), resumes (73%), and take-home tests (69%). But far fewer students expect AI to analyze job candidates’ on-camera interviews (27%).
Female Students are Less Likely to Interview With a Company Using AI
Would you be more likely or less likely to interview with a company if you knew it would use artificial intelligence to analyze interview answers you gave on camera?
More than one-third (37%) of students say they would be less likely to interview with a company if they knew it would use artificial intelligence to analyze interview answers they gave on camera. About 6 in 10 (59%) say it would not make any difference. And female students are more likely than male students to say the use of AI during an interview would deter them from moving forward with an application (43% vs. 29%).
Transparency around the use of AI tools is key to gaining job applicants’ trust. Almost half (47%) of students say they would trust a company less if they interviewed for a job and later found out they were evaluated by artificial intelligence tools rather than a human. Another half (50%) say it would not make any difference to them. Female students are also more likely than male students to say they would lose trust in a company that didn’t disclose the use of AI tools (52% vs. 38%).
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 2,000 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
