Agentic AI: Helpful or Harmful to Your Employer Brand?

Let’s set the stage for a story that is becoming increasingly more common in recruiting.

You’re a talent acquisition leader who has invested in crafting and refining a compelling employer brand. You’ve carefully articulated an employee value proposition (EVP) that is crystal clear at every candidate touchpoint. Your current team members boast about your innovative work environment, team-based culture and their high employee satisfaction on social media.

At this point, you’ve got a great pool of talent, but you just don’t have the bandwidth to handle the volume. So, you decide to streamline hiring by introducing agentic AI—an advanced form of artificial intelligence capable of acting autonomously to complete complex tasks without human intervention. You do your research and find a promising solution. With a little tinkering to the programming, you’re sure that it can be an engaging and friendly first touchpoint for candidate outreach and screening.

In theory, everything seems great. Even the first candidate who uses it is initially impressed—not just by the speed of the company’s response, but also by the ingenious use of AI. They may even think, “Wow, this company is ahead of the curve. This kind of efficiency must make it an incredible place to work. This is exactly what I would expect from a place known for innovation.”

But then things take a turn

The agentic AI solution starts getting into more in-depth interview questions than the candidate was prepared for in an automated screening. Instead of expected questions like “Do you have eight years of experience?” or “When would you be available for a call with a recruiter?”, the candidate is asked something far more complex, like “Tell me about a time you worked with a cross-functional team to solve a challenging problem.” The candidate pauses to collect their thoughts—but before they can respond fully, the bot chirps, “Got it! Great answer!” and moves on. The moment is gone. The candidate is left wondering, “Did it even register what I said? Who will review my response? Did I just blow my chance at this job?

This scenario isn’t just a hypothetical; it’s playing out right now in the marketplace. And frustrated job seekers are sharing real experiences like this on LinkedIn and Reddit. Hilke Schellmann, the author of The Algorithm, recently walked through a similar case that is worth a watch, highlighting how AI can create unintended roadblocks for candidates. And while candidates are tacitly receptive to the speed and efficiencies AI offers, they are leery about AI playing the role of human agent, or worst yet, a gatekeeper to their employment.

The Future of AI in Recruitment

We know that Agentic AI is projected to reshape HR and recruitment with the market expected to grow significantly in the coming years. Data from the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR) suggests that 92% of HR leaders are planning to ramp up their AI usage. Additional projections indicate that 80% of Forbes’ Global 2000 are expected to expand the use of AI for training, onboarding and hiring by the end of 2025. The potential benefits in efficiency, data-driven decision-making and scalability are immense. But the risks of a poorly implemented AI strategy are equally concerning.

Striking the Right Balance

This is where an organization’s employer brand comes into play. AI can be used to reinforce components of an employer brand (particularly innovation), but if it fails at capturing the human essence of your brand, it can erode trust and engagement—two critical factors in attracting and retaining top talent. Companies that rely too heavily on AI-driven recruiting tasks without considering the candidate experience may unknowingly create a cold, transactional hiring process that contradicts their EVP.

The Takeaway

AI is not inherently good or bad for an employer brand—it all depends on how it’s used. If AI is your first touchpoint with candidates, ensure it reflects your EVP and balances efficiency with human connection. Otherwise, the very technology designed to help may end up harming your reputation in ways you never anticipated.