Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quietly but profoundly revolutionizing the recruitment process, raising concerns about its negative ethical implications. An underexplored aspect is why AI recruiting potentially impacts applicants’ fairness perceptions and in which recruitment stage where this effect is most prominent. This study investigates applicants’ trust in the recruiter (i.e., resume screener and job interviewer) as the mechanism underlying the effect of AI recruiting (vs. human) on fairness perceptions and the moderating effects of the recruitment stage (resume screening vs. job interview). In Study 1, participants underwent a single recruitment stage (either resume screening or job interview), with random assignment to an AI or a human recruiting condition. In study 2, participants experienced multiple recruitment stages, starting with a resume screening (AI vs. human) stage followed by a job interview (AI vs. human). Results confirm that trust in the recruiter plays a mediating role in the relationship between AI recruiting and fairness perceptions. Study 2 also found that the recruitment stage moderates the relationship between trust in the recruiter and fairness perceptions, as trust in the job interviewer has a greater impact on fairness perceptions. This study generates insights into how AI recruiting influences fairness perceptions, potentially aiding organizations in implementing AI recruiting practices more ethically.
