What do recruitment organizations need to improve on the corporate side?
I think the biggest opportunity is around integration and compliance. We’ve seen a lot of great tech come in (not just TA tech – we have access to General Purpose Technology that can be used in recruitment workflows without big investments), but if it doesn’t fit into existing systems or recruiters aren’t trained properly, adoption stalls. Another area is bias mitigation - regulations like the EU AI Act are coming fast, so we need strong audit processes, transparency and most importantly we need a human/recruiter in the loop. And finally, candidate experience: automation is great for speed, but we can’t lose the human touch. People still want clarity and connection throughout the process.
What should recruiters focus on in 2026?
To thrive in 2026, recruiters need to think beyond traditional skills and embrace a T-shaped profile that’s built for the AI era. The vertical bar remains the same - deep expertise in human-centric skills like relationship building, influencing, and strategic advisory. That’s still the foundation. But the horizontal bar now stretches into AI fluency. This means understanding how AI tools work, interpreting outputs, and being able to explain those decisions to candidates and hiring managers. It’s also about leveraging data analytics for smarter sourcing, integrating tech seamlessly into workflows, and staying ahead of compliance and ethics requirements. And don’t forget content creation - using AI to write inclusive job descriptions and personalized outreach. In short, recruiters need to combine empathy and strategy with tech literacy and data-driven thinking. That’s the new T-shape. 2026 is all about balance - human enhanced by AI. Upskilling in AI literacy will be key but above all, keeping TA candidate centric. Speed and fairness matter, but empathy and transparency will set us apart.
What is your opinion on AI? Is it taking away from recruiters' jobs? Where can AI add value in recruitment and selection?
No, AI isn’t taking recruiter jobs - it’s reshaping them. The number of recruiters in Europe has remained stable from 2023 to 2025, but the role is evolving. AI now handles repetitive tasks and by doing that frees recruiters to focus on strategic work: building relationships, advising hiring managers, and ensuring fair, inclusive hiring. AI can really move the needle in a few areas, like job descriptions and content creation - generative AI makes this faster and more inclusive. Candidate sourcing and matching - finding hidden talent at scale. Screening and shortlisting - cutting time dramatically. Engagement - chatbots for instant responses and scheduling. And then predictive analytics - offer acceptance and performance potential so we can make smarter, proactive decisions.
Thank you for the answers Milos Rakic, the EMEA Talent Acquisition Director C+AI of Microsoft!
