What do IT Recruiters and Hiring Managers Think of AI Candidate Screening and Interview Tools? [Study 2026]

Key takeaways

The results

1. Hiring volume: Most participants manage 100-150 candidates per month

Operational impact & efficiency gains

2. Time-to-hire drops significantly: 38-day reduction

3. Cost per hire decreases by 23% on average

4. Weekly time savings: 56% of teams save 10+ hours per week

5. AI meaningfully reduces screening time: 70% agreement

6. Transparency in decisions: 66% say explanations are sufficient

7. Candidate quality improves: 80% see improvement or neutral

8. Candidates meeting hiring standards: 67% meet or exceed expectations

9. Quality outcomes vary by role complexity: Entry-level excels, senior roles require oversight

10. Confidence in AI selections shifts by role level: 72% trust for entry-level, partnership model for senior

Trust, bias, and decision confidence

11. Technical accuracy is trusted: 62% confidence in technical fit assessment

12. Bias concerns exist but are not dominant: 42% express concerns

13. Recommendation rate is strong: 78% would recommend

CONCLUSION