Hiring in the Age of AI: Why Human Judgment Still Decides Who Wins

The conversation around AI in hiring has never been louder – or more confusing.

A new McKinsey report highlights just how quickly things are shifting: today’s technology could automate over half of US work hours, demand for AI fluency has surged sevenfold, and yet the most durable skills remain deeply human – judgment, communication, negotiation, leadership.

It’s a timely backdrop for this episode with Chris Allaire, who has spent nearly three decades recruiting engineering and data talent. He’s watched every wave of automation wash over hiring… and his message is refreshingly clear:

AI is powerful and accelerating fast – but it’s still nowhere close to replacing human skill and judgment.

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💡 About the episode

Recruiting is changing quickly. AI can screen résumés, surface keywords, draft outreach, summarise profiles, and handle a growing list of administrative tasks.

But Chris believes too many leaders are assuming these tools can automatically replace the human elements of hiring – intuition, trust, nuance – and that assumption is creating more problems than it solves.

In this episode, we explore why AI adoption in hiring should focus on augmentation, not automation, and what leaders need to understand before handing over decisions that shape the future of their teams.

Here are some key takeaways from the conversation:

1. AI is an accelerant, not a recruiter

Leaders often underestimate how early AI still is. Chris compares current models to an “eight-year-old”: fast, capable, enthusiastic… and prone to mistakes.

His advice is simple but sharp:

“Don’t use AI as a solution looking for problems. Start with the work you actually need help with.”

AI recruiting tools are excellent at reducing friction – sourcing, scheduling, consolidating information, cleaning up workflow bottlenecks. But they cannot judge intent, potential, or alignment. Those decisions still rely on people.

2. People hire people – and that shouldn't change

The idea of fully automating human interaction out of hiring isn’t just unrealistic; it risks harming both candidates and teams.

Chris pushes back on the fantasy of “AI agents interviewing other AI agents.”

Recruitment depends on qualities machines cannot replicate:

• empathy
• trust
• rapport
• reading nuance
• assessing motivation
• sensing potential

AI can support talent acquisition, but it cannot replace the human connection that makes hiring effective – or ethical.

3. Job roles are shifting – and AI literacy is becoming essential

Across backend engineering, DevOps, cybersecurity, platform roles, and data science, skills are converging.

Most roles now include some element of AI enablement though not training models, but working alongside AI-powered systems and understanding their impact on workflows.

For leaders, this means:

• hire for curiosity and adaptability
• look for engineers who are comfortable using AI tools
• expect broader skill sets and fewer rigid role boundaries

This aligns with broader workforce-trends highlighted by McKinsey: while today’s AI could, in theory, automate about 57 % of U.S. work hours, it isn’t a forecast of mass job loss. Instead, work will be reorganised – some roles will shrink, others will grow or shift focus – and many new hybrid roles will emerge as people and AI work together.

4. AI adoption is shifting hiring psychology

Inside organisations, people are nervous. Candidates worry about relevance; teams worry about replaceability; leaders worry about moving too fast or too slowly.

Chris sees this first-hand. And he emphasises that clarity matters more than ever. AI can reduce busywork, but it shouldn’t erase the human parts of work like collaboration, trust, creativity, culture, that make teams effective.

Good AI adoption is as much about culture and communication as it is about technology.

5. The biggest opportunity: use AI to remove friction, not judgment

Chris draws a clean boundary that many organisations overlook:

• If a task is repetitive, tedious, or admin-heavy → AI can help.
• If a task requires nuance, empathy, or meaningful interpretation → keep a person in the loop.

AI delivers the greatest value when it makes teams calmer, faster, and more focused – not when it attempts to mimic human judgment.

Leaders who respect this balance build stronger recruiting systems and teams that feel more supported, not more threatened.

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Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and Chris' Background

02:45 – The Evolution of Technology and Communication

05:29 – AI: Understanding Its Infancy and Misconceptions

08:03 – Human in the Loop: The Importance of Oversight

10:32 – The Role of AI in Recruitment and Organizational Change

13:08 – The Impact of AI on the Workforce and Job Roles

15:31 – Trust as the Currency in AI and Human Interaction

18:18 – Trends in AI Recruitment and Future Skills

22:57 – Psychology of Change: Adapting to AI in the Workplace

28:19 – Final Thoughts: The Human Element in AI and Business

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About the guest

Chris Allaire is the Founder & CEO of Averity, an award-winning NYC technology recruiting agency known for its human-first, team-based approach. He’s known for his strong stance that hiring is, at its core, a human practice — something AI can support, but never replace. His perspective blends deep industry experience with a grounded realism about what AI can (and can’t) do inside modern organisations.

About the show

The AI Opportunity is a podcast for business leaders who want to turn AI from noise into real results.

Each episode features someone who’s put AI to work inside real organisations and can show mid-sized companies (50–500 employees) how to start small, move fast, and scale safely.

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