Artificial intelligence is often portrayed as impersonal or dehumanizing. But new data from recruiting tool Sapia.ai suggests that, in many instances of hiring, the opposite may be true. According to the company’s newly released Humanizing Hiring Report, 1 million job candidates said they preferred AI chat interviews over human recruiters.
The findings challenge the narrative that automation strips humanity from the hiring process. Instead, the report found that structured, conversational AI can make the process more personal, more equitable and more reflective of company values.
Built on more than 6.7 million chat interviews across 30 countries and 11 million words of candidate feedback, the report represents a real-world dataset on AI use in recruiting. According to the researchers, candidates gave the experience an average satisfaction rating of 9.05 out of 10, and eight in 10 offered written feedback voluntarily.
“What candidates value most is being given time and space to express themselves in their own words,” says Barb Hyman, CEO of Sapia.ai.
She explains that when the chat interview is structured, untimed and text-based, candidates can respond at their own pace. “That removes anxiety, time pressure and bias from presentation, accent or neurotype,” she adds.
Hyman says the experience is designed for transparency and reciprocity. Every candidate receives personalized feedback and insights, even if they aren’t hired. “That simple act of acknowledgment restores dignity to the process, even when hiring at large volumes,” she says.
AI in hiring: ‘Fairness drives participation’
There is also additional evidence that AI may promote equity gains. A Monash University study found that when women know AI will assess them, 30% more apply for roles because they perceive the process as fairer. Similarly, Sapia.ai’s research found 98% hiring equity for candidates with disabilities, with those who disclosed a disability being hired at nearly the same rate as those without disabilities. Hyman attributes this to design choices such as untimed, written interviews that are compatible with screen readers and voice-to-text, and that avoid video or voice cues.
“The perception of fairness drives participation,” Hyman says. “HR leaders can build the same equity by auditing their hiring experience for accessibility, removing unnecessary barriers like timed tests or video interviews, and being explicit about their commitment to fair, data-driven assessment.”
That sense of fairness, she says, also has a direct impact on brand perception. “Your hiring experience is your brand,” Hyman says. “Every candidate interaction either builds or erodes trust.” Candidates frequently describe Sapia.ai’s chat interviews as “human,” “respectful” and “easy,” which in turn reflects positively on the employer, according to Hyman. “When candidates use those words about the interview, they associate them with the company they’re applying to,” she says.
Candidate experience as a business outcome
The connection between candidate experience and long-term retention is becoming more evident as well. “When candidates feel seen and fairly assessed, they self-select into roles that align with their values and the brand culture,” Hyman says. “Great experience isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a data signal.”
For HR leaders, she adds, that means treating candidate experience as a measurable business outcome. Tracking metrics such as completion rates, feedback sentiment and post-hire performance helps organizations link better candidate experiences to stronger retention and engagement.
Still, many HR professionals worry that AI could replace the human connection in hiring. Hyman argues that this is a factor that leaders can control. “AI should never replace human connection,” she says. “It should remove the noise that gets in its way.”
AI simply scales human connection
Regardless of AI use in the recruiting process, hiring managers must always make the final decision. “Trust comes from transparency,” says Hyman. This requires that HR is clear about what data is used, how it’s analyzed and how it is safeguarded. “When you combine responsible design with human oversight, AI simply scales human connection,” Hyman says.
A September 2025 World Economic Forum article also suggests that AI, when designed responsibly, can make recruitment more human-centered. Structured, job-relevant assessments reduce bias and highlight overlooked talent, while AI-powered interviews provide consistent scoring, clearer feedback and more constructive rejection experiences.
According to Hyman, humanizing hiring at scale starts with “structure not software.” She advises HR leaders to “define what great looks like in each role.” This includes the competencies, traits and values that predict success for each job.
Ultimately, says Hyman, “humanizing hiring is about embedding fairness, feedback and respect into the process.”
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