IMPACT OF AI-BASED RECRUITMENT SYSTEMS ON HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ABILITY PRACTICES

Abstract

In the contemporary digital landscape, organizations and professionals in human resource (HR) management have been actively transitioning traditional HR functions onto digital platforms to enhance the efficiency and efficacy of HR departments. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the intermediary role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in recruitment processes, elucidating its mediation between various factors affecting recruitment and selection, and the proficiency of HR professionals' practices. Moreover, the study explores the moderating influence of performance expectancy on these relationships. To achieve these objectives, data was gathered from 250 recent graduates and 168 HR department employees across diverse organizations in Saudi Arabia. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) employing Partial Least Squares (PLS) was utilized to examine the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that AI adoption in recruitment serves as a mediator in the associations between AI-driven screening, cost and error reduction, e-recruitment practices, intention to apply for positions, and the profficiency of HR professionals' practices. Furthermore, the results indicate that performance expectancy significantly moderates the relationships between AI-driven screening, cost and error reduction, e-recruitment processes, and AI adoption in recruitment. However, no moderating effect was observed between candidates' intention to pursue applied positions and AI adoption in recruitment. These outcomes underscore the positive impact of AI utilization in recruitment on HR professional proficiency, facilitated by AI-driven filtering, cost and error reduction, and e-recruitment practices. Additionally, performance expectancy emerges as a critical factor in enhancing these relationships, emphasizing the importance of fostering optimistic expectations regarding AI performance to maximize its potential in HR practices. Consequently, the study underscores the imperative of integrating AI technologies into HR frameworks and cultivating favourable performance expectations among HR specialists, offering valuable insights into how technology adoption shapes HR capabilities and the determinants of positive HR outcomes.