After years of layoffs and automation-first strategies, the AI revolution is triggering something unexpected: a surge in human hiring—especially across the tech, media, and telecom (TMT) sectors.
According to a recent Deloitte survey, nearly 70% of C-suite tech leaders expect to grow headcount as generative AI adoption accelerates. Despite headlines warning AI will replace jobs, many leaders now see it creating more work (not less) especially for those who can oversee, implement, and guide AI systems.
Deloitte notes that since 2023, tech companies have cut nearly 500,000 jobs, including over 63,000 in the first half of 2025 alone. Much of that downsizing came as firms invested billions in AI tools designed to automate human tasks. But it’s becoming clear that automation needs human oversight, strategy, and ethical guardrails.
To meet this need, 60% of surveyed leaders plan to build “global capability centers” over the next two years to recruit and train talent for AI integration. But demand is far outpacing supply, with 45% of respondents citing GenAI expertise as the most urgent skills gap in their organizations.
AI isn’t replacing people—it’s hiring them. The race for GenAI talent is on.
The next wave of TMT hiring isn’t about replacing people with machines. It’s about hiring people who know how to work with them—and competition for these people is fierce.
Talent acquisition leaders will need to rethink their approach, considering the following steps to build the workforce of tomorrow:
1. Attract Smarter: Build a Strategic Recruiting Engine for AI Talent
Hiring for AI skills in the near future will be all about outmaneuvering the talent shortage. With demand rising and qualified candidates scarce, TMT companies need more than reactive recruiting.
- Align hiring goals with business priorities. What skills will your team need in six months? What systems will support the process? Planning ahead helps avoid last-minute scrambles and costly misfires.
- Write job descriptions that go beyond lists of requirements. Candidates want clarity and purpose. Share what makes your team and mission unique, and don’t forget any noteworthy perks. Sell the experience of working with you in a compelling, inclusive, and realistic way.
- Expand your sourcing strategy. Specialized skills require targeted outreach. Use niche communities, industry forums, and talent networks where AI specialists connect and look for their next role.
- Strengthen your employer value proposition (EVP). Candidates with in-demand AI skills evaluate you as much as you evaluate them. They want companies that invest in growth and offer meaningful work. Use social media, employee stories, and referral programs to show what sets you apart. Tools like Harver help highlight your EVP through personalized candidate experiences and data-backed storytelling—turning interest into action.
Discover how to strengthen your EVP with a better candidate experience.
2. Assess Better: Go Beyond the Resume to Find True AI Potential
It’s easy to focus on credentials, but the best candidates aren’t always those with the flashiest resumes or longest list of certifications. True potential is harder to spot with traditional screening alone.
Use predictive assessments to see beyond the surface. Science-backed tools help you identify the skills, knowledge, and learning agility that AI roles demand. Harver’s AI-ready assessments go beyond credentials, identifying high-potential candidates with the adaptability and critical thinking needed to thrive alongside GenAI tools.
For specialized positions, job knowledge and skills assessments ensure candidates have the hard skills they’ll need on day one. Harver’s industry-specific tests match talent precisely to complex roles, reducing guesswork and costly mistakes.
But technical skills aren’t enough. As AI handles more tasks, human skills become more critical. Machines can’t replicate empathy, adaptability, or problem-solving. The best teams will include people who communicate clearly, navigate complexity, and make ethical decisions.
Cognitive assessments reveal quick learners who can adapt to new technologies and workflows, while behavioral assessments surface essential skills like emotional intelligence, teamwork, and resilience.
These tools give you the complete candidate picture. They help you hire for today’s needs and build teams ready to grow with your technology.
3. Grow From Within: Upskill and Reskill to Meet AI Demand
Even the best recruitment strategy can’t solve the talent shortage alone. That’s why leading TMT companies look inward, tapping existing teams as a pipeline for future-ready talent.
Upskilling and reskilling will become necessities. As AI automates more processes, you need people who can work with these systems, which means investing in AI literacy, machine learning basics, and new skills like prompt engineering.
- Identify transferable skills on your team. The right assessments can uncover hidden potential and map strengths to future roles. Employees who know your systems and culture can adopt new tools more quickly and cost-effectively than external hires.
- Create clear internal mobility paths. Training, mentorship, and cross-functional projects show employees there’s a future for them with your company. When people feel supported to grow, they’re more engaged, loyal, and ready to help navigate change.
Growing from within isn’t just about filling roles. It builds a culture of learning and shared success. Cross-training strengthens operations, builds resilience, and supports succession planning. Investing in your people is one of the smartest ways to close the AI skills gap. It turns your workforce into your biggest advantage.
Explore how you can use assessments to identify transferable skills.
4. Scale Smarter: Balance Automation with the Human Touch
As AI continues to be more ubiquitous, TMT companies will also face the challenge of managing the sheer volume of applications.
High-profile roles attract hundreds or thousands of candidates, which will only be amplified by the number of candidates leveraging AI to blast out resumes. Without the right systems, your team can get overwhelmed, slowing time-to-hire and risking lost talent.
Responsible AI and automation can fight fire with fire when it comes to volume hiring. Automating tasks like screening, scheduling, and communication frees your team to focus on building real connections with top talent.
According to Deloitte, companies using AI-driven recruitment save up to 30% in hiring costs thanks to streamlined workflows and better decision-making. Advanced analysis helps you spot high-potential candidates (even when they’re buried in a large pool) and ensure fair, consistent evaluations.
But automation must maintain the human touch. Candidates still need to feel valued, not processed. Tools like Harver’s Smart Job Navigator deliver seamless experiences that reduce drop-off and showcase your company’s commitment to thoughtful hiring.
Of course, not all AI solutions are created equal. Choose providers who prioritize transparency, scientific validation, and human oversight. That way, AI can enhance—not replace—good judgment.
Download Harver’s AI Buyer’s Guide to help you evaluate hiring solutions.
Hire for the Future, Human-First
By building a smarter recruitment strategy, assessing real potential, growing your existing teams, and balancing automation with the human touch, you can compete in the impending human hiring boom.
Ready to hire smarter? Harver’s solutions help you find, assess, and develop the right talent—backed by science and designed for people.
See how Harver helps TMT companies hire faster, smarter and more human-first in the age of AI.
