HR organizations are faced with a widening skills gap, economic headwinds and changing expectations around work. It's no surprise, then, that burnout and exhaustion are widespread in HR, with one survey finding that 42% of teams are struggling under the weight of too many projects and responsibilities. Change starts with personnel and management, some might argue. While there's a fair amount of dissatisfaction with HR tech vendors (at least according to some data), to be fair to the tech-positive crowd, many companies see real value in HR tech. According to a recent Sapient report, over half of businesses with more than 500 employees plan to increase HR tech spending by an average of 21% into the coming year.

Independent algorithmic auditing firm Parity AI has partnered with talent acquisition and management platform Beamery to conduct ongoing scrutiny of bias in its artificial intelligence (AI) hiring tools. Beamery, which uses AI to help businesses identify, recruit, develop, retain and redeploy talent, approached Parity to conduct a third-party audit of its systems, which was completed in early November 2022. To accompany the audit, Beamery has also published an accompanying "explainability statement" outlining its commitment to responsible AI. Liz O'Sullivan, CEO of Parity, says there is a "significant challenge" for businesses and human resources (HR) teams in reassuring all stakeholders involved that their AI tools are privacy-conscious and do not discriminate against disadvantaged or marginalised communities. "To do this, businesses must be able to demonstrate that their systems comply with all relevant regulations, including local, federal and international human rights, civil rights and data protection laws," she says. "We are delighted to work with the Beamery team as an example of a company that genuinely cares about minimising unintentional algorithmic bias, in order to serve their communities well.

In recent meetings and events with CEO's and business leadership teams, we've noticed a certain amount of confusion around the benefits of Artificial Intelligence, and who in the business should be championing it. As a result, many companies are not fully utilising the valuable data they hold. With confusing terminology and the perceived need for complex technology, many businesses shy away from adopting AI into their practices, not fully understanding the benefits that they are missing out on. With greater knowledge and understanding as well as the support of a skilled driving force within a business, the rewards of Data Science can be reached relatively easily. Businesses can develop, expand and secure their successes through the use of AI and through better understanding of Data Science.

Fortunately, developments in artificial intelligence have created a huge potential to fix the problems of antiquated hiring systems and accelerate the process to make recruiters more productive. A handful of software vendors are incorporating AI algorithms into their tools in order to automate tasks such as examining resumes, sending follow up emails, or finding potential candidates for your company's new vacancies. Beamery, a candidate relationship management software, uses machine learning software to enhance its clients' applicant tracking systems and build relationships with their candidates. EstherBot, another interesting project, helps turn your resume into an interactive chatbot that interacts with potential employers.

There's no question that digital tech has dramatically changed our world. In the workplace, however, this technology can either amplify or hinder your productivity. The recruitment space is no exception. In fact, new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are truly revolutionizing this space at a blistering pace. With so much tech out there, it's difficult to find software that actually adds value to your recruitment needs.