New research from The Access Group reveals that HR and recruitment professionals are among the most active adopters of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace.
The study found that 68 percent of HR professionals use AI, saving them an average of three hours per week. Among those using the technology, 98 percent believe it has had a positive impact, while 89 percent say it has improved workplace standards.
The survey, which covered employees across 12 industries, found that half of all workers now use AI in some form. The technology sector leads with 74 percent adoption, followed by HR. In contrast, the not-for-profit and health and social care sectors reported the lowest AI usage, at 29 percent and 30 percent respectively.
HR professionals named reduced workloads as the primary benefit of AI, allowing teams to focus on tasks that deliver greater value. The most common applications include data analysis (47%), idea generation (46%), and research (44%). Additionally, generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, have eased workload pressures for 67 percent of HR professionals – the second-highest level among all sectors surveyed.
Charles Butterworth, Managing Director of Access People, said, “HR teams are at the forefront of the AI revolution in the workplace, so it’s not surprising that they are among the biggest champions of the technology. Many have already automated tasks like candidate screening – so using AI is the next logical step, giving them time to focus on value-added work like employee engagement and talent strategies.”
AI and Workforce Inclusion: Potential and Pitfalls
Beyond improving efficiency, AI is also seen as a tool for workplace inclusion. The ability to manage large volumes of information, analyse data, and provide a structured approach to written work has been particularly beneficial for neurodiverse employees. AI can support those with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD by offering tools that enable them to work in ways that suit their individual needs. This, in turn, allows organisations to build more inclusive teams with a wider range of skills and perspectives.
James Barton, HR Business Partner at CloudFM Group, said, “AI frees up HR teams to focus on more strategic, people-centred work. AI-powered tools can sift through CVs, schedule interviews, or provide data insights into workforce trends, all at a scale that would be impossible manually. Another significant advantage is improved decision-making – the data AI provides can lead to more informed, objective, and fair outcomes.”
However, there are concerns that the use of AI in recruitment may worsen existing bias rather than solve it. Lee Higgins, Founder of Diverse Talent Networks, wrote, “If AI systems are trained on biased data or poorly designed algorithms, they will perpetuate bias in hiring practices.”
One glaring example of AI bias, Higgins added, occurred in a major tech e-commerce company.
“The firm developed an AI-driven hiring tool that unintentionally discriminated against women,” he explained. “The system, trained on 10 years of resumes, penalised applications containing words associated with women, such as ‘women’s chess club’, simply because most of the company’s previous hires were men.
“Similarly, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University discovered that Google’s AI-driven ad platform displayed higher-paying job adverts more frequently to men than to women, reinforcing pre-existing income disparities.”
Security Concerns
However, the research also noted several potential concerns: 61 percent of HR professionals – admitted to using AI to complete tasks they were meant to do themselves. Half reported using AI in ways they would not disclose to their employer. Data security remains a key issue, with 50 percent expressing concerns about risks, while a quarter cited confidentiality as a specific challenge.
Marko Perisic, Chief Product and Engineering Officer at The Access Group, said that there are risks associated with unregulated AI use.
“AI has taken off in a way that few people could have imagined – but left unchecked it can lead to some employees using it irresponsibly. Sometimes this is down to lack of training about the potential security risks but, according to our survey, a high proportion use it covertly to do their job for them, which is unfair on their colleagues and customers,” he said.
