Recruiters after the agent: rethinking the top of the funnel

Agentic AI is rapidly spreading across the hiring funnel. From job board discovery and sourcing workflows to screening, outreach and even the first interview, AI agents are beginning to run processes that once required recruiters. These systems are also emerging inside the ATS, reshaping how hiring workflows operate end to end. This session explores what happens when the top of the funnel becomes automated. Drawing on new research into how hiring actually happens today, it examines where AI is replacing human effort, where recruiters still add value, and what this shift means for the future of the talent acquisition function. The result may challenge how we think about recruiting itself.