The CV or cover letter needs to be reviewed, and from there, they may have two or three rounds of interviews. If offered a job, conversations around salary and onboarding and training begin. Then it's the employers' job to foster and retain loyalty. All these steps aren't quick, easy, or cheap to go through and a business may need to go through at least 20 candidates before finding the right person. This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes in – a solution that can reduce the hours and energy spent in the initial recruitment process.

In theory, it sounds good to implement AI in an organization. But many HR leaders are worried about adopting data and automation technologies: Is it burdensome? Does it take the human out of human resources? Fear not, HR Tech speakers said during the HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held virtually. When used to their full potential, data and analytics can help HR advance its position as a critical value creator, providing data-driven insights that will benefit employees in the form of recruitment and onboarding, developmental opportunities, and innovative programs and policies, said Kiran Raja, executive vice president of AI and data solutions at Alight Solutions.