Based on a survey of 602 companies commissioned by the digital association Bitkom, reports indicate that Artificial Intelligence currently plays only a minor role in the job search and recruitment process in Germany, with just 12 percent of companies actively implementing AI.
The most frequent application of AI is in drafting job descriptions, a tool used by nine percent of the surveyed companies. Another six percent utilize AI for the initial screening of submitted applications, while five percent employ AI-based analyses for competencies or potential.
The use of this technology in direct communication with applicants is much rarer. Only two percent of businesses have allowed AI to conduct interviews, yet another seventeen percent view this as a possibility for the future.
According to Bitkom, the legal framework is primarily hindering many companies. Adél Holdampf-Wendel, Bitkom’s Head of Future of Work and Labor Law, noted in an interview that even highly digitized member companies show hesitancy due to regulatory requirements. She pointed out that recruiting is particularly sensitive, as AI systems used for personnel decisions generally fall under the high-risk guidelines of the European AI regulation, which presents a significant challenge to comply with.
Despite these regulatory hurdles, many firms see great potential in AI. Fifty-nine percent of companies are prepared to use AI for drafting job descriptions. Furthermore, more than a third (34 percent) could envision utilizing AI-assisted competency or potential analyses, and 27 percent could foresee using it in the initial review of applications.
