More than half of Canadian employers say they use generative artificial intelligence to screen candidates and review résumés, citing improved customer service (55 per cent), increased efficiency (51 per cent) and support with analyzing application materials (52 per cent), according to a recent survey by the Harris Poll on behalf of Express Services Inc.

The survey, which polled more than 500 employers and more than 500 employees, found a third (34 per cent) of employers said they’re already turning to automation to fill open roles, while 39 per cent plan to expand its use if hiring challenges continue. Three in 10 (32 per cent) said they expect to replace a sizeable portion of their workforce with automation within five years.

Still, the vast majority (88 per cent) of employers said human input is essential when assessing qualities such as cultural fit and attitude and two-thirds (66 per cent) said the risks of AI-driven hiring outweigh the benefits if people aren’t part of the process.

Read: How AI can help employers with reskilling, career development during uncertain times

Among employees, more than three-quarters (78 per cent) said they use AI for mock interviews, followed by drafting resumés and cover letters (72 per cent), creating work samples (62 per cent) and completing online assessments (53 per cent).

However, nine in 10 (89 per cent) of workers said AI can’t effectively evaluate soft skills. A similar percentage (87 per cent) said they prefer a person to conduct the initial interview and 85 per cent want their resumé reviewed by a human. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) said they would think twice before applying to a company that overuses AI, underscoring the continued importance of real human connection in recruitment.

The survey also highlighted gender differences in AI adoption. Half (51 per cent) of women said they’ve never used AI in a job search, compared to 40 per cent of men. Women (27 per cent) were less likely than men (41 per cent) to use AI to draft resumés and fewer women said they’ve used AI to create work samples (13 per cent) and for online assessments (nine per cent) — less than half the rate of male employees.

Read: Canadian employees have mixed emotions about impact of AI on career, skills: survey