How to use responsible AI for recruitment

Many charities, recruiters, and candidates are already using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve recruitment in the sector. Recruitment specialists and charities’ human resources teams are using the technology to make the recruitment process more efficient, such as by more effectively scheduling interviews and assessing candidates.

 

Candidates are also using tools, such as Open AI’s ChatGPT, to improve their application and CVs. This can be particularly useful for neurodivergent people with dyslexia, for example. But is this taking away the human element of recruitment as people look for suitable employers and charities seek the right employees?

 

If not used responsibly and alongside the human side of workplaces, then AI could present challenges to candidates and charities alike. Here we look at the challenges of using AI in recruitment and the ways charities and candidates can use the tech more responsibly.

 

 

Candidate concerns when using AI

 

A key concern among candidates is an increased risk of bias and error by using AI to assess applications. This is a particular concern among female candidates, according to research published in 2025 by recruiter CharityJob. The research found that 82% of female candidates back human application assessors over AI checkers, compared to 77% of male charity job hopefuls. Candidates are concerned that AI’s “susceptibility to errors and biases could be detrimental” to the assessment process, found this research.

 

Further research in the US found racial and gender biases in AI candidate screening tools, which favoured traditional white male names. “They didn’t think it wise to rely on AI alone, without human judgement, to review applications,” concludes CharityJob.

 

Candidates also have concerns about using AI when drafting covering letters or CVs. CharityJob found that “a few respondents raised ethical questions” about this “explaining that it feels like cheating if they aren’t writing it themselves”. For its research, CharityJob included the views of 2,300 charity sector job candidates and almost 100 recruiters.

 

 

Recruiter concerns when using AI

 

Recruiters are also concerned about using AI to assess the suitability of candidates. Half of those surveyed said it was “very unlikely” they would trust recommendations made by AI. Two in five are undecided and only one in ten trusted AI in recruitment decisions.

 

They also raised concerns around candidates’ use of AI in their applications. Just under half are against candidates using AI to help with their application, while more than three in ten agree with the use of such tools and one in five are undecided.

 

Just under two-thirds of those who disagree with AI’s use in candidates’ applications say that it would deter them from progressing an application. Their concerns focus on applications becoming inauthentic if candidates rely too heavily on digital tools.

 

 

Using AI responsibly for recruitment

 

Despite concerns CharityJob researchers found that when AI is “used appropriately, it can be a tool to enhance the experience for both recruiters and candidates”. It found that, where AI is used to improve rather than replace the human side of recruitment, then it can be deployed effectively and responsibly.

 

For example, AI can be useful in supporting neurodivergent candidates with their application. For those on the autism spectrum, for example, AI can explain questions on an application form and give more precise instructions on giving answers. While for those with dyslexia AI can help improve spelling and the wording of a covering letter.

 

For recruiters AI can improve efficiency and save time, in areas such as scheduling interviews. In fact, more than half of recruiters said AI makes the recruitment process quicker. Using the technology in writing job descriptions was cited by three-quarters of recruiters surveyed by CharityJob. Creating interview questions was mentioned by more than two-thirds and more than half said AI helped with interview scheduling.

 

 

The charity sector relationship with AI

 

Concerns highlighted around AI from candidates and recruiters are part of a wider picture that shows how the charity sector is still relatively behind other sectors in its use of the technology.

 

A survey of employees published by software firm Access in 2025 found that charities are the least likely workplaces to be using AI. Only 29% of charity workers use tools such as ChatGPT regularly at work, the lowest proportion among all 12 sectors among 1,000 workers surveyed.

 

But the survey also revealed widespread interest in AI, with almost three in four charity workers believing the technology “would have a positive impact” on their organisation.

 

Research published by Charity Excellence Framework in 2024 found that half of charity representatives surveyed  feel “extremely unprepared” to use AI tools safely and effectively.

 

Managing the risk of using AI, choosing the right tools, security, and lack of training are among issues charities are concerned about according to this survey. The most commonly used tools are ChatGPT, used by almost three in five charities, followed by Microsoft’s Copilot, which is used by just under a quarter.

Few use AI to create images, with Midjourney used by just 2% and DALL-E by 3%. One charity respondent surveyed said: “It’s so new and so huge it’s hard to even imagine where to start with dealing with AI.”

 

A stronger focus on training would help improve understanding of where AI can be most effective, how it can be used responsibly and where a human touch is still needed.