Hikari Co-founder, Will Grady
HikariAs the world moves toward a greener economy, there is an urgent need to address another critical transformation: the creation of a more equal society. While environmental sustainability often dominates global conversations, social and economic equity must be considered equally: a sustainable future cannot be truly successful if it overlooks systemic inequalities that continue to limit opportunities for countless individuals.
Bias in recruitment remains a significant driver of entrenched inequality, shaping workplaces that often reflect the homogeneity of their decision-makers. This limits opportunities for underrepresented groups, perpetuates income disparities, and stifles innovation. Groups that typically face hiring bias include introverts, candidates over 50, people with practical qualifications but no university degrees, candidates who are less physically attractive, candidates with career breaks, ethnic-sounding names, and even ambitious women are often penalized during interviews, perceived as aggressive or unfeminine, whereas similar behavior from male candidates is praised as leadership potential.
Now, a new tech platform, Hikari, is aiming to transform the hiring landscape by tackling these biases head-on. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to focus on candidates’ skills and potential, rather than superficial factors like educational pedigree, Hikari promises a more inclusive and equitable recruitment process.
Having worked with major tech companies like Google and Amazon, Hikari’s co-founder, Will Grady, has firsthand knowledge of how bias infiltrates organizations: "You’d think that these companies, being the pinnacles of innovation, would have streamlined, unbiased recruitment processes,” he explained. “But what I found was quite the opposite.”
One of the biggest culprits, he revealed, is the reliance on employee referrals. “Referrals perpetuate unconscious bias,” he said. “A male-dominated engineering team is likely to recommend people they know—often just like them. It’s a modern-day old boys’ club that keeps replicating itself.”
He also highlighted the problem of resume-based judgments. “Studies show that recruiters take just seven seconds to assess a CV. This speed, while efficient, is often ruthless and unfair, particularly to candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.”
Frustrated by the inequities he observed, Grady decided to take action. “Initially, I started helping people write better CVs in my free time,” he shared. “But I quickly realized that the issue wasn’t just about crafting the perfect resume. The entire hiring process was one-dimensional and deeply unjust.”
Partnering with Lydia, an experienced AI engineer, he developed Hikari. “Our goal was simple: eliminate biases and focus on candidates’ skills and potential. Over time, the tool evolved into a comprehensive platform designed to address diversity and unconscious bias,” he explained.
Hikari Co-founder, Lydia Pierre
HikariHikari’s AI analyzes resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and even candidates’ technical portfolios, such as GitHub repositories. “It’s not just a wrapper around ChatGPT,” he emphasized. “We’ve trained our models using a diverse, global dataset of resumes to ensure the AI recognizes skills from various educational and cultural backgrounds.”
“We’re committed to explaining how our AI models work and providing insights into their decision-making processes – there are no black boxes,” Grady explained. “We regularly audit our AI models to identify and mitigate potential unintended biases, ensuring fairness and transparency. We are hiring a DE&I expert to sense-check our AI with an expert lens and help the platform get more thoughtful and progressive in this space,”
The platform also tackles bias at the job description level by promoting inclusive language and assessing cultural fit without reinforcing stereotypes. “We want to humanize the hiring process,” he said. “For instance, we emphasize soft skills like empathy, teamwork, and communication, which often get overshadowed by academic credentials.”
A standout feature is Hikari’s ability to provide automated, personalized candidate feedback. “One of the biggest frustrations candidates face is applying for jobs and never hearing back,” he noted. Hikari addresses this and keeps candidates informed and engaged, fostering a more inclusive recruitment experience.
Though still in its pilot phase, Hikari is already making an impact. A recent success story involved a candidate with no formal university education who transitioned into tech through certifications from Amazon Web Services. “Historically, hiring managers would overlook such candidates in favor of those with traditional degrees,” she said. “But Hikari flagged their certifications and projects, showcasing their practical skills. This individual landed a role as an entry-level solution architect and doubled their salary.”
This outcome reflects Hikari’s commitment to breaking the traditional mould. “We’re helping companies see beyond formal education, focusing on the skills and passion that truly matter,” he explained.
Hikari is currently being piloted with recruitment agencies and companies across the UK, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. “The Middle East, in particular, has shown interest due to efforts to bring more women into the workforce,” Grady said. Women face higher unemployment rates in many regions, with rates exceeding 20% in Northern Africa and the Arab States.
“We are partnering with Women Returners to launch a scholarship program to support professional women returning to the tech industry after a career break. As a father of two, I have seen first-hand the challenges mums face when returning to work,” he added.
However, the journey to launch Hikari hasn’t been without challenges. "Some recruiters worry that AI could replace their jobs. We assure them that Hikari is here to assist, not replace,” he said. “The tool handles repetitive tasks, like filtering applications, so recruiters can focus on building meaningful relationships with candidates.”
Others have embraced the potential for increased efficiency and inclusivity. “Organizations are realizing that AI can empower their teams to focus on what really matters—finding the right talent and creating a great candidate experience,” he added.
Hikari’s founders envision a future where AI transforms recruitment into a more equitable process. “AI is here to enhance human-centric hiring, not replace it,” he emphasized. “Recruiters should spend less time sifting through resumes and more time engaging with candidates on a personal level.”
The platform also aims to address sustainability concerns, with a focus on responsible energy use and data governance. “We’re mindful of the environmental impact of running an AI-based platform,” Grady said. “We will work with Patch, which offers an API to integrate into our platform to automatically offset carbon emissions associated with specific activities, such as customer transactions or employee travel.”
With a planned launch in the coming months and over 50 demos already scheduled, Hikari is poised to disrupt the recruitment industry. By emphasizing inclusivity, practical skills, and a human-centric approach, the platform represents a significant step toward a fairer job market.
In an increasingly interconnected world, rising inequality within countries is emerging as a critical challenge with profound implications for global stability.
However, as we rebuild economies to mitigate climate change, the opportunity exists to also redesign social structures, including workplaces, to prioritize inclusion and equal opportunity. At the heart of this transition lies the principle that merit and ability—not privilege or pedigree—should determine success: only by addressing both environmental and social sustainability can we create a resilient future.
“The hiring process shouldn’t be a competition of who writes the best CV. It should be about finding the best person for the job,” Grady concluded. “And that’s what we’re striving to achieve with Hikari.”
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{URL}https://www.forbes.com/sites/mariannelehnis/2024/11/21/how-ai-driven-recruitment-can-shape-a-more-equitable-future/{/URL}
{Author}Marianne Lehnis, Contributor{/Author}
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{Keywords}Sustainability,/sustainability,Innovation,/innovation,Sustainability,/sustainability,standard{/Keywords}
{Source}Implications{/Source}
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