AI-powered robot takes the bias out of recruitment

In a previous blog, we talked about how unconscious bias (the assumptions, attitudes, and stereotypes we have about other people, without realising it) can negatively affect the recruitment process.

Well, Swedish recruitment agency TNG may have come up with a solution.

Meet Tengai, the AI robot…

Since October 2019, the company has been using Tengai to conduct interviews in place of human recruiters.

Measuring 41cm tall and weighing 3.5kg the robotic head sits on top of a table across from the candidate. She then asks a series of questions.

To put candidates at ease, her voice and face are designed to mimic human inflections and expressions.

How does Tengai negate the problem of unconscious bias?

Unconscious biases include assumptions about someone's competence based on factors like gender, ethnicity, voice, education, or appearance.

They can also be a result of informal conversations before or after an interview.

For example, say a candidate mentions they’re mad about golf (a game you’re also passionate about), and you engage in a lively pre-interview discussion about it. Chances are, you’ll unconsciously favour the candidate, as a result of similarity bias.

Tengai doesn't engage in pre-interview chit-chat and isn’t subject to unconscious bias.

She poses questions in an identical tone, in the same order to each candidate.

After each interview, she generates text transcripts to help recruiters decide which candidates should move to the next stage of the process, based on the answers alone.

This is thought to create a fairer and more objective interview.

Tengai's makers hope that, at some point in the future, the robot will be able to 'decide' for itself whether a candidate should move to the next round of interviews.

You can see Tengai in action here.

The consensus

The feedback has been promising. Hiring managers have confirmed that Tengai has saved them time, provided a positive user experience for candidates, and has effectively assessed candidate’s personality traits and skills, without bias.

Will robots replace recruiters?

Ever since humans heard the phrase ‘artificial intelligence’, there’s been a fear that robots will take over the world, or at least our jobs.

Many industries have adopted AI automation, and it’s making a buzz in the recruitment industry.

Naturally, the rise in AI’s popularity has been leaving recruiters feeling uneasy. But is this fear founded? Will AI replace fundraising recruiters?

The short answer is no.

While AI can automate some tasks, many aspects of the recruitment process need a human touch.

For example:

• Personal Interaction: AI can make the recruitment process more efficient, data-driven, and augmented, but a robot can’t build a great rapport with candidates. And it can’t analyse soft skills.

• Persuasion: If a candidate is on the fence about a role, having a robot try to sell it to them is the equivalent of interacting with an automated customer service call - dull, tedious, and uninspiring.

  On the other hand, human recruiters have the ability to engage, inspire, and excite candidates with their knowledge and passion for a charity’s culture and benefits.

• Developing new processes: AI tech can be programmed to send out an email to request feedback on candidate’s experience. But it can’t take action on that feedback unless it’s programmed to do so.

In summary

Robots can assist in the recruitment process, but they’re no match for humans.

Rest assured, we at Bamboo are not robots and there’s nothing artificial about the way we work with our clients.

Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 to find out for yourself.