New LinkedIn research reveals recruiters are leading the charge to build the workforce of the future
Artificial intelligence could unlock £532 billion in productivity gains for UK businesses, according to LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting Report 2025. But while the tech is transforming how companies hire, new research shows that success depends as much on people and skills as it does on technology.
AI Adoption Is as Much a Talent Challenge as a Tech Challenge
LinkedIn’s findings reveal that AI adoption is not just a tech challenge—it’s a talent challenge. Businesses are now turning to their recruitment teams to help close the AI skills gap and shape the future workforce.
Only 4 in 10 UK business leaders say they’re satisfied with their progress on AI, and more than half report a growing performance divide between employees who use AI strategically and those using it only for basic tasks—or not at all. That’s why 87% of UK recruiters say their CEO is relying on them to help unlock AI’s full potential.
How Recruiters Are Leading the AI Transformation
Recruiters already embracing AI tools report spending more time as strategic talent advisors (64%) and enhancing the candidate experience (65%). Yet only one in three (33%) describe their teams as true “AI power users”—those combining human insight with AI to drive business results.
The risks of falling behind are clear: 43% of recruiters warn their teams could lose ground to competitors without AI skills, 39% say they’ll struggle to attract top talent, and 37% fear missing growth targets.
Expert Insights on AI in Recruitment
“Driving AI adoption isn’t just about embracing new technology—it’s about empowering people,” said Janine Chamberlin, UK Country Manager at LinkedIn. “We’re seeing great results from teams using LinkedIn’s AI agent, Hiring Assistant. UK firm Insite saw a 20% revenue boost directly linked to hires made through the tool.”
Sam Wilson of Mott MacDonald added: “AI has streamlined admin-heavy tasks, improved targeting, and freed our team to focus on high-value engagement.”
David Brown, CEO of Hays Americas, said: “AI is redefining recruitment—speeding up hiring, improving objectivity, and giving consultants deeper insights into talent potential. The goal is a more personalised, efficient, and human-centred recruitment experience.”
The Future of AI-Enabled Recruitment
LinkedIn’s Hiring Assistant—launched globally last month—has already helped recruiters save over four hours per role, review 62% fewer profiles, and improve InMail acceptance rates by 69%.
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