Marketing hype machines are creating artificial intelligence (AI) FOMO — including in the talent-assessment space, with promises of exponential gains in efficiency and accuracy. With so many vendors and so many claims, things can consequently get murky trying to differentiate between assessment products. Then, too, it’s important to ask yourself: Are you really trying to improve prediction through AI, or are you experiencing FOMO about not being “AI hip”?
Assuming it’s the former, how do you separate fact from fiction and adopt a legit tool that is right for your needs? Here’s how to get started:
Know that AI is not a solution or a goal in itself and that it won’t magically fix all our problems. Rather, AI is a component that can be part of the solution. And of course, getting the right solution demands taking a step back and identifying the problem first. In doing so, you may find non-AI based solutions that are a better fit.
Simply put, AI is ”human intelligence or behavior mimicked by machines.” Forms of AI that you’ve probably heard of include:
Many forms of AI are nothing new. In fact, some have been in use for years, even decades. That means that you sometimes have to take claims of AI innovation with a grain of salt. For instance, many techniques such as machine learning have been used to create assessment scoring algorithms since the 1950s — they are simply old wine in a new bottle.
AI is first and foremost technology that can automate lesser tasks, like finding certain information. Currently, it is nowhere close to human intelligence and does not really do a good job of thinking autonomously. It can only do what it is instructed to. AI does not work like the human brain, mostly because it does not understand causation — that is, it can see the relationship between things, but it cannot understand it. All of which means that AI is still incapable of making judgments the same way that people do.
AI’s cognitive limitations open up a Pandora’s box of issues that directly impact confidence in its use. These include:
Of course, these limitations are no reason to give up on the positive aspects of AI, such as the ability to help alleviate common hiring pain points.
AI is omnipresent in hiring tools. The most common applications include:
When it comes to talent assessments specifically, AI is definitely making a contribution to alleviating many of the common issues mentioned above.
Note that just because assessment tools use AI does not mean that they use it well or in a manner that is compliant with government regulations. All the baggage of AI applies to assessments, and in many cases it is just simply not a sufficient substitute for traditional assessment methods such as the personality and cognitive tests that have been in use for decades.
The first step in your evaluation process is to turn on your BS detector and look closely at the vendor and its AI. Many vendors are selling pure snake oil. Others are not really AI companies at all. In some cases, AI is only a very small part of their core product, while other vendors are just hyping the same simple machine learning techniques that have been in use for decades. Knowing which questions to ask can help you see the truth — and sure enough, there are several quick ways to gauge a vendor’s legitimacy as a real assessment company.
Ultimately, at the intersection of technology and psychology lie both concern and opportunity. Moving forward without fear is actually pretty simple: Apply the tried-and-true methods that make any testing program effective and compliant:
Yes, AI has a lot to offer talent assessments, but don’t believe the hype. When it comes to AI assessments, following the best practices that apply to all assessments will help ensure you get the best of both.