Advantages and Challenges of AI-Based Personnel Selection: A Scoping Review of Organizational Implications and Human Outcomes

Abstract

Introduction: The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into recruitment and selection is reshaping how organizations identify, evaluate, and choose talent. Although prior research emphasizes improvements in efficiency and automated decision-making, concerns related to fairness, transparency, trust, and applicant experience remain insufficiently resolved. Despite increasing scholarly attention, the field continues to evolve in a fragmented manner. This scoping review addresses this gap by systematically mapping and synthesizing the literature on the advantages and challenges of AI-based recruitment and selection, considering both organizational outcomes and human implications. Materials and Methods: A scoping review was conducted following established methodological frameworks. A structured search and screening process across major academic databases resulted in a final corpus of 33 peer-reviewed studies. The analysis combined descriptive mapping with a hybrid thematic synthesis organized around five dimensions: efficiency and decision support, bias and fairness, transparency and trust, applicant experience, and governance and ethics. Results: The evidence indicates that AI-based recruitment enhances efficiency, scalability, and consistency in decision processes. At the same time, these benefits are accompanied by challenges related to algorithmic bias, limited interpretability, reduced trust, and concerns about procedural fairness. The findings highlight a persistent interdependence between performance outcomes and legitimacy-related responses. Conclusions: This review proposes a socio-technical framework that explains AI-based recruitment as a system shaped by the interaction between technological design, human judgment, and governance structures. The results underscore the importance of integrating oversight, transparency, and ethical accountability to support responsible and sustainable implementation.