Here’s the math that should shape every tech decision: a platform that saves $50,000 a year on licensing but adds $80,000 in services costs, integration workarounds and recruiter time lost to manual processes ends up far more expensive over time. The cheapest line item is rarely the cheapest decision.
Greenhouse VP of Product Management Nkem Nwankwo makes the case that most AI tools were built around what looks impressive in a demo, not how hiring actually gets done – which is why so many teams end up busier, not freer. Here’s advice for evaluating what’s worth your time:
Watch for the “more output” trap. Five AI-generated summaries that still need review haven’t reduced your workload – they’ve added a layer. As Nkem shared, the best AI works by “lowering administrative and coordination lift, highlighting what requires attention, enforcing deliberate human review.”
Demand AI you can interrogate. “AI that operates as a black box doesn’t build trust,” Nkem mentioned. “It creates uncertainty and forces teams to spend additional time figuring out whether to rely on what it’s telling them.”
The one question for every evaluation: “Is this AI reducing the work required to make good decisions, or is it creating more activity to manage?”
