CV-Library has published UK survey findings showing that 35% of recruiters say AI tools are causing them to miss out on strong candidates. The study also found that 27% believe strong applications are filtered out before interview.

The research is based on responses from 424 recruiters and employers and 1,067 candidates across the UK.

The figures highlight growing concern about automated screening in recruitment as employers handle larger volumes of applications. More than four in five recruiters, 83%, use AI to speed up hiring, while 28% use it to manage high application numbers.

Even so, recruiters appear unconvinced by some of the outcomes. Just 36% said AI improves speed-to-hire, while 20% reported an overall decline in candidate quality where AI is used.

Candidate frustration

Among jobseekers, 53% said they believe their application has been rejected by AI without any human review. Another 46% said unfair rejection is one of their biggest frustrations when looking for work.

The findings suggest this frustration is changing behaviour. CV-Library found that 40% of jobseekers have abandoned, or considered abandoning, an application because AI was used in the process, particularly when bots were deployed for screening.

One candidate described automated interviewing in stark terms. “Being interviewed by an AI bot felt incredibly alienating – there’s no feedback or human interaction, so you have no idea how you’re coming across. It feels like you’re being filtered out, and with so little real communication, it’s easy for the effort you put in to be completely overlooked,” said David, a part-time bartender.

Younger applicants were the most sceptical about the technology. Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z respondents, 64%, said they suspect AI is responsible for rejecting them at early stages of hiring, compared with lower levels among older age groups.

Gen Z was also the group most likely to cite unfair rejection as a frustration, at 53%, compared with 47% of Millennials and 46% of Gen X respondents.

Another jobseeker said AI had become difficult to avoid in the hiring process. “I stayed away from initial interviews with AI platforms – there’s no human interaction and it’s entirely impersonal. But now AI is in human calls too, taking notes during interviews. After three months without a job, what am I supposed to do? If AI is going to be a gatekeeper, I may as well use it to help me get through those gates,” said Simon.

Limits of AI

The survey suggests recruiters see clearer benefits from AI in administrative tasks than in assessing applicants themselves. Respondents said the technology performs best when writing job descriptions, cited by 63%, and handling tasks such as interview scheduling, cited by 38%.

Confidence fell sharply when recruiters were asked about more subjective parts of hiring. Some 72% said AI struggles to identify cultural fit, while 55% said it performs poorly at assessing soft skills.

That gap appears central to the headline finding that employers may be losing suitable candidates despite wider use of automated systems. The study suggests that speed and scale remain the main reasons for adoption, but recruiters still see a need for human judgement when reviewing applications and assessing people.

Lee Biggins, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of CV-Library, said: “Candidates have long felt that the human touch is ebbing away from the hiring process and that good people are getting screened out unfairly. This insight from recruiters in both agencies and businesses suggests their frustrations may be justified.

“It’s a timely wake-up call that not everything should be outsourced to AI, especially in recruitment where every candidate is unique. It can add value by automating some laborious processes, but good recruiters are using it to support human intuition, not replace it.”

CV-Library also set out steps for employers using AI in recruitment, including human oversight, clearer communication with candidates about where AI is used, and regular audits of tools to check for errors or bias. It said employers should keep automated systems focused on administrative work and leave final judgement on skills, personality and fit to recruiters and hiring managers.

The findings were also supported by case studies from jobseekers who agreed to share their experiences of AI-led hiring.

The UK’s biggest grocer described the move as “one of the most revolutionary retailing improvements in decades” which would give customers access to a host of information about products via their smartphones.

QR codes will be applied to the packaging of 13 lines of Tesco’s own-brand sausages including Tesco Pork Sausages, Tesco Pork Chipolatas, Tesco British Pork Sausage Meat as well as British Cumberland Sausages and British Lincolnshire Sausages.

The codes can be used to provide additional product information to customers such as nutritional content, with shoppers being able to use them to access recipes and competitions.

(Image: PA Wire)

Tesco said adopting the new codes would give it better information about products in stores, helping it to order more accurately and improve efficiency, reducing unnecessary waste.

In the event of product recalls, QR codes will allow retailers to identify specific batches instead of removing all items, avoiding throwing products away unnecessarily and improving availability.

Retailers will also be able to block the sale of affected items at the till and contact customers who may have purchased them.

It is part of a wider industry shift led by GS1, the global body responsible for barcode standards, which has set a target for retailers and manufacturers to be ready to accept QR codes.

Tesco development and change director Peter Draper said: “For customers, this is a tiny and almost invisible change at the checkout, but for the retail industry it’s a significant step forward.

“Moving to QR codes will help us reduce food waste, improve stock control and unlock new digital benefits for our customers.

(Image: PA Wire)

“Customers will continue to shop and pay in exactly the same way, but they’ll have the option to access far richer information about the products they buy simply by using their smartphones.

“Over time, this opens up exciting possibilities, such as personalised digital tools to help customers manage the food they buy and reduce waste at home.”

Anne Godfrey, chief executive of GS1 UK, added: “Tesco moving to QR codes powered by GS1 across an entire range marks a significant step forward for UK retail.

“It shows how the next generation of barcodes can support a more connected, transparent future. We hope this progress encourages others to follow Tesco’s lead so that consumers and businesses alike can benefit from richer, more trusted product information.”

Broadband switching in the UK rose 24% year on year in March, according to data from Uswitch, as April bill increases prompted more households to shop around.

One in five broadband customers either switched provider before the rises or planned to do so within the next three months. Three million households had already changed provider in time to avoid higher charges.

The figures suggest a sharp consumer response to increases across several essential services at once. Households faced an average annual rise of £216 across council tax, water, TV licences, mobile contracts and broadband, bringing the total national increase to £6.9 billion.

Broadband accounted for an average increase of £39.60 a year, based on a monthly rise of £3.30. Some customers faced fixed increases of £4 a month, adding £48 over a full year.

Cost pressure

Affordability is now a central factor in broadband buying decisions. Some 24% of broadband customers chose their current provider primarily because it offered the lowest monthly price.

That pressure has coincided with stronger competition, particularly from regional network operators. These providers have offered some of the strongest broadband deals on record, including tariffs that in some cases avoid annual in-contract price rises, prompting larger providers to improve their own offers.

Uswitch’s internal data showed March was the busiest month for broadband switching since its records began in October 2016. Its measure of broadband deal value also reached its highest level since the index began in August 2023.

Not all customers moved quickly. Some 39% of broadband bill payers knew their bill was going up but did not plan to act, leaving them exposed to the full increase.

Market shift

The pattern suggests a widening gap between households willing to switch and those staying on existing contracts despite higher costs. Customers who stay with the same provider after their contract ends often move on to more expensive terms, while rival offers for new customers can be materially cheaper.

A household reaching the end of a broadband contract could save an average of £329 a year by taking a new deal. That adds to evidence that bill rises are prompting more active shopping around in a market where price has become a stronger differentiator.

Some of the biggest broadband brands have adopted fixed annual uplifts for new customers rather than the inflation-linked formulas criticised in previous years. While that offers more certainty, it still means higher charges each April for customers who remain in contract.

Regional providers have used that backdrop to compete on price and on promises of no annual rise. The result is a more competitive market at a time when household budgets are under strain from multiple directions.

Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Uswitch, said: “By moving in record numbers this year, broadband customers are sending a clear message that they will not pay over the odds while budgets are already under such intense pressure.

“What we are seeing is a significant shift in the market. The expansion of regional networks – both aggressively priced and keenly focused on customer service – has created a level of competition that hasn’t been seen in years.

“These providers are offering high speeds and great reliability on their networks at much lower price points, which is finally forcing the bigger brands to offer much more to keep their customers.

“If you have faced a price rise this April, it is not too late to check your contract. With the market as competitive as it is right now, there is a real opportunity to find a deal that protects your household budget.

“The average household coming to the end of their contract could save £329 a year by switching to a new deal, so it really pays to see what else is out there.”