Artificial Intelligence in Hiring and Applicant Attraction: The Role of Ethical Perceptions

Abstract

The ethics of using artificial intelligence (AI) have been of concern for a generation, but interest in the topic has sharply increased in recent years. Yet, we do not fully understand how ethical perceptions about AI influence both applicants and the organizations that use it. In this paper, we build on the person-organization fit model (Kristof, 1996), social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), and applicant attraction research (Chapman et al., 2005) to investigate whether and how ethical perceptions of using AI in hiring are related to applicant attraction. We conducted two studies with both job seekers and employed individuals with hiring experience and found that ethical perceptions of using AI in hiring are positively related to perceptions of organizational attractiveness both directly and indirectly via perceptions of organizational innovativeness. We found no differences in these relationships between job seekers and employed individuals with hiring experience. Interestingly, the influence of ethical perceptions of using AI in hiring are not consistent across hiring methods. For instance, we found that individuals who consider it ethical for organizations to use AI in intrusive ways, such as analyzing social media information for traits and characteristics, viewed such organizations as more innovative and attractive.