Uncertainty surrounds the use of artificial intelligence (AI) among university relations and recruiting (URR) professionals and, to a lesser extent, among career services practitioners, according to results of NACE’s Spring Quick Poll on AI.

Just 25% of employer respondents reported using AI in the workplace over the past year. Among those who did use it in their recruitment efforts, most did so to write emails to candidates and to create a set of interview questions.

Going forward, most employers are taking a “wait and see” approach. Just 3% plan to use AI in the next year, while 57% are not sure about adopting it. Underscoring the uncertainty about its use, 61% of those who have not used AI are not sure how they would use it.

Perhaps the slow adoption of AI is because there is a good deal of trepidation regarding its use. When asked about their concerns, more than 70% of employer respondents pointed to the potential for:

• Plagiarism;
• Unethical use;
• Sharing misinformation; and
• Cheating on tests and assessments.

The potential for biased results and copyright infringement are also common concerns associated with AI use.

On the other hand, more than 80% of employer respondents see benefits of using AI that include automating repetitive tasks and improving efficiency.  

The concerns employers hold and the benefits they perceive are shared among their career services counterparts, who are more apt to incorporate AI into their work.

Over the past year, more than one-half of college respondents used AI with students, most commonly to create a resume or a cover letter, or to help students answer questions.

One-fifth of college respondents do plan to use AI in their work during the next year, with more certainty about its applications, which reflect the ways it is currently being used: to create resumes and cover letters and answer questions.

NACE conducted its Quick Poll on AI (ChatGPT, DALL-E 2, and Bing AI) to see if and how its members are using AI, as well as their thoughts on the growth of AI in the future. The polls ran from May 2, 2023, through May 19, 2023. A total of 53 employer members and 293 college members participated. Full results of the are available on NACEWeb.