Alright, let’s talk AI.
This week, we’re pulling back the curtain on the weird, messy, and very human world of recruiting. From back-channel gossip that feels more like HR TMZ than leadership, to new research showing AI recruiters are actually more empathetic than humans, to job seekers letting bots apply on their behalf, this one hits every corner of the hiring circus. It’s not just about who AI replaces. It’s about who we still trust to be human.
Let’s get into it.
No, But Seriously…
Stop Playing HR TMZ
Backchannel references are out of hand. Lately, people keep pinging me for the real story on someone I barely know.
Yes, I might have worked at the same company as the candidate.
No, I am not HR TMZ.
I even reached out to one of the people they asked about. They’d had one interview. One.
What are we doing?
If you want to know someone’s skills:
- Watch them work.
- Talk to the people who actually managed them.
- Ask real questions like: “Where do you need coaching?” or “What environments help you thrive?”
That tells you infinitely more than whisper-network scavenger hunts.
Leaders don’t whisper.
Leaders ask directly.
Leaders decide.
If this one stung, good. Stop backchanneling like it’s high school. Go lead.
The Drop
Who We Let AI Replace, and Who We Don’t
A new Harvard study asked 2,000 people which jobs they’re comfortable handing off to AI.
Turns out 58 percent of jobs should go to machines, according to humans.
Totally fine automating: call center reps, file clerks, janitors, cashiers, search marketing strategists.
Hard no on clergy, childcare workers, therapists, judges, athletes and coaches, police, barbers.
We’ll let AI run the CRM, just not your church, your kids, or your haircut.
When AI gets cheaper and better, support for automation jumps 28 percent. So performance isn’t the blocker. Morality is.
It’s not “Can AI do this job?”
It’s “Should AI do this job?”
And here’s the twist. In one of the most “human” arenas of all, hiring, AI might already be more human than us.
A study with 67,000 job seekers found:
12 percent more job offers
17 percent higher one-month retention
80 percent of candidates preferred the AI recruiter over the human one
Why? Because AI listened. It was consistent. It didn’t get tired, distracted, petty, or busy. It gave everyone equal attention.
For years, we’ve been preaching that “the human touch” is what makes recruiting special. That people want warmth, empathy, connection. But the data says AI is treating people more fairly, more patiently, more consistently.
Maybe empathy isn’t a friendly tone. Maybe empathy is fairness.
And if that’s true, AI isn’t making hiring less human. It’s forcing us to redefine what “human” at work even means.
If AI is listening better than we do, maybe the upgrade needed right now is us.
The Shortcut
AI Didn’t Replace You. You Replaced Yourself.
We asked one new question on a job application and uncovered a shift that’s happening quietly: humans aren’t applying anymore.
Two identical roles. Same description. Same team. One difference: a single question.
“Is an AI automation tool submitting this application on your behalf?”
Results:
• 60 percent of applicants admitted a bot applied for them
• Almost all were entry-level
• Almost none were senior
So what does that tell us?
The bottom of the funnel isn’t crowded. It’s automated.
Entry-level candidates are outsourcing effort instead of building skill.
Recruiters aren’t reviewing people. They’re reviewing scripts.
Senior talent uses AI to amplify themselves. Entry-level talent uses it to replace themselves.
There’s a line with AI. Are we using it to make our work better, or just to disappear?
AI should sharpen your work, not hollow it out. If you automate the part that shows you actually care, are you speeding up the process, or stepping out of it?
TalkAI Live
This Friday I'm going live to talk ecommerce, AI, and CX.
It’s a big topic right now, so I'm bringing in Tanner Chatterley, CEO of OrderProtection, to break down how he uses AI and automation to protect customers after they buy.
You’ll learn:
• Why post-purchase is the next frontier for CX
• What real-time protection actually looks like when it works
• How AI can amplify real human connection instead of replacing it
We’ll dig into how AI can help you build trust at scale and why human-centered automation matters more than ever.
That’s it for today. Connect with me on Linkedin to hear more about AI + GTM.
