How is Indeed Transforming Recruitment Processes With AI?

Describe the global economy of the 2020s as turbulent and you risk dropping a clanger of an understatement for global employers. 

Trade restrictions, supply chain disruption, extreme weather, geopolitical instability and the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to shape a difficult landscape. 

And, amid this uncertainty, small and medium-sized enterprises in particular are continuing to take a cautious approach.

Wider hiring trends mirror this conservatism. In the UK, job listings are now 23% below their pre-pandemic baseline, for example. 

For jobseekers, the effect is immediate. For employers, uncertainty translates into hesitation around growth, investment and recruitment.

Amid these shifts, online recruitment platform Indeed is working to support employers navigating this increasingly difficult environment. 

Its strategy involves AI, and includes a range of tools designed to reduce the time and effort involved in hiring.

AI in hiring's transitional phase

Chris Johnson, Vice President of AI at Indeed, calls this period the "messy middle" of AI adoption.

"The 'messy middle' is when people are using AI to replicate or automate existing parts of the hiring process, but new AI-enabled capabilities are still developing," he explains. 

Chris draws a comparison to early motor vehicles: "Think horseless carriages versus cars. It's a normal part of any technological transformation as people learn how to use a new powerful tool, and it's exactly what we're seeing with AI."

In this transitional stage, both candidates and employers are experimenting with Gen AI. 

For example, jobseekers use it to refine applications, while employers implement AI-based systems to manage high volumes of interest. 

For recruitment teams, the challenge is no longer about access to talent, but how to effectively and fairly select from the noise.

Smart Sourcing as a response to volume

Indeed’s Smart Sourcing tool changes the established dynamic of posting job adverts and waiting for responses. 

Instead, the platform pulls from a database of more than 345 million sourceable profiles and suggests matches based on skills, qualifications, experience and stated preferences.

This allows employers to message or invite candidates to apply directly, avoiding the time-consuming task of filtering applications manually. 

The platform also offers transparency in candidate suggestions, giving employers the opportunity to understand why profiles are recommended and to adjust their criteria accordingly.

Indeed claims that hiring managers using Smart Sourcing save an average of 7.7 hours per week, freeing up time from manual recruitment tasks.

Chris says the gains work both ways: "These efficiencies are not only helping employers, but candidates are benefitting from faster, more responsive and personalised hiring experiences too."

With more time available, hiring teams can re-focus efforts on areas where human interaction matters most, including in-person interviews and candidate experience.

Ensuring AI use remains fair and accountable

To mitigate the risks associated with automation, Indeed applies a Responsible AI Framework that prioritises fairness, transparency, accountability and privacy.

"Our Responsible AI framework emphasises fairness, transparency, accountability and privacy," says Chris. 

"This means rigorously testing for bias to help ensure fairness in our products, being transparent about how decisions are made so AI systems are accountable for their outcomes, and, crucially, involving a variety of voices in development."

These guardrails aim to ensure that automated decisions support, rather than undermine, equitable hiring. For example, by shifting attention away from formal education or networks, and towards individual capabilities and preferences, the platform encourages broader, more inclusive hiring.

Chris sees potential in combining AI with human insight, explaining: "The biggest potential impact of this shift lies in AI and human judgement interacting together to be able to do something neither can do alone.

"AI won't replace humans, but humans that utilise AI will be able to amplify their output. The opportunity lies in our being able to harness AI to be more effective and fair in our hiring decisions."

As economic pressures persist, recruitment teams face continued scrutiny over cost, efficiency and fairness. 

For now, Indeed positions its technology as a tool that enables employers to widen their search, reduce manual effort and make more informed choices.

Whether this model takes hold across the sector depends on the outcomes. If balance between automation and human oversight holds, other platforms may follow.