Transformations in Talent Acquisition: Measuring AI’s Effects on Recruitment Efficiency and Bias

Background Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping recruitment processes, offering new opportunities for efficiency, precision, and fairness. Yet, its real impact on organisational hiring practices remains underexplored through robust empirical methods. This study investigates the effects of AI tools on recruitment across multiple dimensions. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 423 human resource professionals across multiple industries (manufacturing, technology, financial services, and logistics) between January and March 2025. The structured questionnaire comprised 28 closed-ended items organised into four dimensions: recruitment efficiency, candidate experience, perceived fairness and bias, and trust and transparency. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and multiple linear regression models. Results AI significantly reduced time-to-hire and improved initial screening accuracy (β = 0.61, p