Artificial Intelligence in recruitment: a front-row seat to transformation

Posted on 16th September 2025

Written by Richard Burgess-Kelly, Director of Resourcing Growth, Sopra Steria Next

We recently hosted a webinar smarter hiring – Leveraging AI to Optimise Public Sector Recruitment where Richard Burgess-Kelly, Director of Resourcing Growth explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we attract, assess, and onboard talent across government departments. The conversation was rich with real-world examples, practical challenges, and bold ideas, reflecting the growing momentum behind AI adoption in public sector resourcing.

Over the past few months, we’ve been working closely with the public sector to design, implement, and customise innovative resourcing and workforce solutions. It’s clear we’re at a pivotal moment. Departments are under mounting pressure to do more with less, and suppliers are feeling that same squeeze.

There’s a strong message coming from the top: AI and automation are no longer optional. They’re essential tools in rethinking how we attract, assess, and onboard top talent into the public sector. At Sopra Steria we’ve had a front-row seat to these conversations, and the appetite for AI is growing rapidly.

Here’s a bit of insight:

Where is AI making an impact?

Marketing and attraction: clients want to use data-driven insights to craft campaigns that resonate with diverse candidate pools and optimise job placements.
Assessment and selection: there’s interest in intelligent screening, psychometric tools, and skills-based matching. While there’s understandable nervousness—especially with stories of bias in big tech—public sector organisations are keen to deploy these tools responsibly.
Onboarding: automating workflows and paperwork helps new hires integrate seamlessly. AI can also support faster security clearances, reducing time-to-hire and administrative burden without compromising compliance.
Application Tracking Systems (ATS): everyone has a love-hate relationship with their ATS. Enhancing these platforms with natural language processing and AI workflows can improve both candidate and recruiter experiences.
Candidate communication: generative AI is being used to power chatbots and communication tools, keeping candidates informed and engaged throughout the process.

Starting the AI journey

Each public sector area faces unique pressures. Yet all are being asked to harness AI responsibly, fairly, and transparently. The growing number of UK AI policies like Launching the Artificial Intelligence Playbook for the UK Government aren’t just about technical standards; they also cover ethical, legal, and operational principles. These policies help ensure AI aligns with public sector values.

As suppliers and public sector organisations, we need to engage with these policies together. Doing so equips us to make better decisions when procuring or deploying AI tools, navigate risks like bias and data misuse, and demonstrate that innovation can still be human-centred.

Challenges we’re encountering

Nervousness around AI is normal and healthy. If implemented poorly, AI can pose risks. But when done right, it’s incredibly effective.

Some of the biggest concerns we’ve found are:

Lack of in-house expertise.
Policy, governance and accountability.
Over-reliance on suppliers.
Difficulty interpreting AI outputs.
Weak integration with legal obligations.

Many departments are still building robust governance frameworks for onboarding AI. Our AI practice director, Neil Gladstone , has been instrumental in helping clients navigate this space.

Looking forward

Despite the challenges, the benefits are compelling:

Faster screening of applications.
Predictive insights.
Reduced human bias (when properly monitored).
Workforce modernisation.

The recruitment technology landscape is vast, and even as a supplier, it can feel overwhelming. Knowing where to start is key.

If you’re in the public sector, here are a few critical questions to ask:

What is the business problem or opportunity I’m looking to address with AI?
Where is the data hosted?
Who has access to it?

Responsible AI adoption is non-negotiable. We must be open, trustworthy, and transparent, maintaining human oversight throughout. By building capability, asking the right questions, and embedding strong governance from the outset, we can ensure AI helps us recruit faster and fairer.

In summary:

AI is streamlining recruitment in the public sector, from targeted marketing to automated onboarding and candidate communication.
Adoption is rising amid resource pressures, but concerns around bias, governance, and integration remain.
Responsible use is critical, requiring ethical alignment, strong oversight, and collaboration between suppliers and departments.

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