The Human-AI Partnership: New Data From Bullhorn Reveals How AI Can Save the Candidate Experience

Findings confirm candidates with positive AI experiences are more satisfied and loyal

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Candidate satisfaction is declining across all aspects of the recruitment process, dropping as much as 20 percent in key areas like speed and responsiveness; however, AI is emerging as the key solution. This is according to the latest Global Recruitment Insights and Data (GRID) 2025 Talent Trends report published by Bullhorn, the global leader in software for the staffing and recruitment industry.

The report, which collected data from nearly 2,800 professionals, found that of those who have interacted with AI in the job-search process, 77 percent rated it as positive. Even more, 88 percent of candidates rated AI voice agents either as good as, or better than, a human interview.

Loyalty is a result of a great experience

Job seekers are tired of being left in the dark. A staggering 72 percent of respondents stated they stopped working with a recruiter due to lack of communication and slow responsiveness. According to the findings, AI in the recruitment process drives candidate loyalty up by as much as 45 percent, with “getting a response to every application” being the top benefit respondents list. Even just communicating once a week can boost loyalty to 86 percent.

“The future of recruiting is a powerful partnership between human expertise and AI efficiency,” said Lia Taniguchi, MBA, Senior Research Manager at Bullhorn. “Our data proves that using AI can build crucial trust and loyalty, while freeing up recruiters to focus on what matters most: having the quality conversations to best support a job seeker during such a vulnerable time."

Only 35 percent of respondents listed staffing firms as their go-to option for their job search, a decline from last year. As the market improves, this statistic will only become more challenging for firms when talent has more options. To reverse this declining trend and learn key findings around what specifically is driving candidate loyalty, and more, download the full report here.

About the GRID Talent Trends Report
The annual GRID Talent Trends Report is based on data collected from a multiple-choice, online survey to more than 2,800 professionals who have worked with a staffing firm in the last three years. Respondents work across a variety of industries and around the globe, including North America, the UK and Ireland, Benelux, DACH, and APAC. The survey was conducted in July 2025.

About Bullhorn
For the past 25 years, Bullhorn has dedicated itself to building industry-leading, cloud-based software for the staffing and recruitment industry. Through partnerships with 10,000 customers globally, Bullhorn has built a vast knowledge base of recruitment best practices and deep domain expertise to help firms scale their businesses. Founder-led and headquartered in Boston, Bullhorn employs 1,400 people across 14 countries focused on delivering an incredible customer experience – its core mission. To learn more, visit www.bullhorn.com or follow Bullhorn on LinkedIn or X.