Burnham Says Human Interaction Must Remain at the Heart of Recruitment
Artificial intelligence is transforming recruitment at an unprecedented pace, but Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has warned that employers risk losing the human element of hiring if they rely too heavily on technology.
Speaking during recent interviews, Burnham suggested that younger job seekers, in particular, are being disadvantaged by recruitment processes that depend on video interviews, automated screening and AI-powered assessments rather than face-to-face conversations.
His comments have reignited debate across the recruitment industry about whether technology should support recruiters or replace them.
AI Is Changing Recruitment Faster Than Ever
Artificial intelligence has become one of the recruitment industry's biggest talking points during 2026.
From CV screening and candidate matching to interview scheduling and skills assessments, AI is helping recruiters reduce administration and identify suitable candidates more quickly than ever before.
Many recruitment agencies have embraced AI to:
- Screen large volumes of applications.
- Write job adverts.
- Improve candidate sourcing.
- Automate interview scheduling.
- Produce market intelligence and salary reports.
For busy recruiters, these tools can save valuable time and improve productivity. However, as adoption increases, concerns are growing about whether technology can accurately assess personality, motivation, communication skills and cultural fit.
Candidates Risk Becoming Data Rather Than People
Andy Burnham believes recruitment should never become entirely automated.
He questioned whether young people are being given a fair opportunity to demonstrate their potential when employers rely heavily on video interviews, online assessments and AI screening before a recruiter or hiring manager has spoken to them.
Many experienced recruiters would agree.
While AI can quickly identify keywords and qualifications, it cannot fully recognise qualities such as resilience, ambition, emotional intelligence or the ability to build relationships—attributes that often determine long-term success in sales, recruitment and leadership roles.
Some recruiters have also reported that candidates who perform poorly during automated assessments often excel during traditional interviews.
Technology Should Support Recruiters, Not Replace Them
Most recruitment professionals recognise the benefits AI brings to the hiring process.
Used correctly, technology allows consultants to spend less time on repetitive administration and more time building relationships with clients and candidates.
The strongest recruitment businesses are increasingly using AI to enhance, rather than replace, the expertise of experienced consultants.
For example, AI can:
- Search talent pools more efficiently.
- Produce first-draft candidate summaries.
- Reduce time-to-hire.
- Improve compliance and record keeping.
The final hiring decision, however, still benefits from human judgement.
Recruitment Remains a People Business
Despite rapid advances in artificial intelligence, recruitment remains fundamentally about people.
Employers continue to value recruiters who understand their business, recognise transferable skills and identify potential that cannot be measured by algorithms alone.
As competition for skilled professionals increases across construction, engineering, technology and other specialist sectors, relationship-led recruitment is likely to remain a key differentiator.
Rather than replacing recruiters, AI appears set to become another tool that enables consultants to work more efficiently while focusing on the conversations that technology cannot replicate.
Finding the Right Balance
The debate sparked by Andy Burnham highlights an important challenge for the recruitment industry.
Artificial intelligence offers significant advantages in speed, efficiency and data analysis, but successful hiring still depends on understanding people, motivations and long-term career aspirations.
For recruitment agencies and employers alike, the future is unlikely to be a choice between AI or human recruiters. Instead, the most successful organisations will combine intelligent technology with experienced consultants who can provide the judgement, empathy and relationship-building skills that remain at the heart of successful recruitment.
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