Job discovery is becoming AI-optimised and candidate-led

Published in early June 2025, the Fosway 9-Grid™ for Talent Acquisition looks at the market for Suites and Specialist platforms in the talent acquisition space. Here, Fosway analysts look at the new ATS environment and the changes now that job discovery is AI-optimised.

The top of the funnel is breaking away from the ATS

Job discovery is becoming channel-native, AI-optimised, and increasingly candidate-led. Jobs are pushed to where candidates already are – e.g. social feeds, aggregator apps, messaging platforms – and interaction starts the moment they respond. A growing class of AI-led specialists now handle everything from programmatic distribution to the application itself: generating ad content, selecting or creating visuals, localising language, and qualifying candidates based on hard role criteria. Chatbots on WhatsApp, SMS or browsers, screen for work permits, driving licences, or required certifications before the candidate even sees an ATS.

In parallel, large job platforms such as Indeed and StepStone are moving down-funnel, adding pre-screening, interview scheduling, and routing logic, aiming to reshape themselves into full conversion engines. The benefits are clear: pre-vetted candidates, faster time to hire, and less manual work. But one trade-off is control. Employers are losing ownership of early-funnel performance and are often left to accept the pricing and candidate flow vendors choose to set. Most specialists now provide the dashboards and visibility corporates need – but the shift in where the power lies is underway. TA suites were not built for this level of reach or responsiveness, and whilst some are adapting, most still treat it as a ‘partnership play’. For many frontline and high-turnover roles, the application has already been replaced by activation.

Voice agents are entering the prequalification flow

AI voice agents are now starting to augment and replace manual screening, particularly for frontline and distributed hiring in high-volume, time-sensitive environments. Some agents are embedded directly into the application workflow for clearly defined roles across voice or chat, whilst others work as outbound tools, calling candidates to confirm certifications, shift availability, location, or language requirements. Adoption is growing in the UK and Southern Europe, with uptake in emerging markets outside of Europe already well ahead.

Corporates are also piloting voice-based scheduling and reminders workflows, reminding candidates to attend interviews, trial shifts and day-one onboarding. The quality of AI voices and the ability to handle well-structured conversations is already sufficient for wider adoption, but less so in companies in Germany and France, as they assess where voice adds value without adding risk.

Human-centred automation reshapes selection

AI is starting to support the interview process rather than replace it. Most platforms can now generate interview questions based on intake data or job descriptions, often aligned to key skills. Some vendors go further with prompts for hiring managers in real-time, as well as capturing and summarising feedback and discussions post-interview. A few vendors are testing co-interview agents to participate in structured interviews, log responses, and flag inconsistencies or missing coverage. Uptake remains cautious though, especially in Europe, where decision accountability and works council sensitivities limit how far (and fast) automation can go.

The benefits are showing in improved consistency, better documentation, and decision support. The risks are not just of bias, but also of negatively impacting candidate experience and trust. There are also questions about the readiness of hiring managers to rely on machine-generated inputs.

This is an excerpt from the Fosway 9-Grid™ for Talent Acquisition. Get the full insight and discover all the latest market and solution trends by reading the whole report here.

What should you do next?

• AI Market Assessment for TA – read Fosway Group’s recent report into the state of the TA vendor market.
• What’s next for this rapidly changing technology? Sign up to be involved in Phase Two of Fosway’s ongoing strategic project: ‘AI in TA’.

Other recommended reading

• Do you think your current talent acquisition platforms are fit for the modern workforce? Fosway analysts address the elephant in the room.
• Browse the Knowledge Centre for other Fosway research related to AI and talent acquisition.

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