Helping the United Nations Explore the Use of AI in Selection

Jenna McChesney, Chelsi Campbell, Elissa Perry, & Mark L. Poteet

In late 2017, the SIOP–United Nations (UN) Committee, in partnership with the UN Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), launched the Innovation & Learning Speaker Series. The series provides opportunities for SIOP experts to present and discuss with UN human professionals relevant research, theory, and evidence-based practices on various I-O psychology topics, with an emphasis on helping the UN understand how other large international organizations are addressing important human resources challenges. Presented in person and virtually, the series is capable of reaching a wide audience of professionals located in several global UN offices. The overarching goal behind this effort, as is the case with several of the SIOP–UN Committee’s activities, is to help the UN deliver on its mandate by leveraging the science of work psychology.

To date, several presentations have been made by SIOP members on topics such as survey design, 360-degree feedback, assessment of integrity for selection, human resources management in the digital era, performance management, applying behavioral insights to HR, and data-based talent management. For more information on this effort and these presentations, including the SIOP members who have generously contributed their time and expertise, please read Sheikh et al.’s (2018) TIP article, “The Innovation & Learning Speaker Series: A Partnership Between the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and the United Nations Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM).”

In the fall of 2023, we had the opportunity to organize another Innovation & Learning Series event to facilitate dialogue between SIOP members and UN Secretariat Human Resources staff on an emerging HR-related topic. With the rise of generative AI, there is an increasing interest in how these modern technologies will impact selection and assessment. Working in partnership with SIOP member Julie Weintraub, human resources officer in the UN, SIOP–UN Committee members Chelsi Campbell, Jenna McChesney, and Elissa Perry organized a panel discussion titled, “Using AI in Selection: Challenges and Opportunities.”

Speaking to a group of about 40 HR professionals within the UN Secretariat, SIOP member panelists David Morgan, Gema Ruiz de Huydobro, and Harold Goldstein provided insights into the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the selection process. The discussion kicked off with an overview of AI, covering its broad applications and specific aspects like generative AI. Examples illustrating AI’s use in selection, including job matching and AI-scored interviews, were presented. The conversation then delved into employer perspectives, exploring the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating AI into selection processes, especially for large multinational organizations.  

Throughout the conversation, David Morgan drew from his experiences in crafting AI-powered talent tools for large organizations like Estée Lauder, Meta, and Amazon. Gema Ruiz de Huydobro, manager of Industrial-Organizational Psychology Science at HireVue, offered best practices and legal considerations for the cross-cultural integration of AI in selection. As an I-O psychology professor at Baruch College, Harold Goldstein contributed findings from his extensive work and research in personnel selection.

The discussion primarily centered around the advantages and possibilities of AI in this space. One attendee remarked, “I found the presentation quite intriguing. I hadn’t anticipated such a favorable portrayal of AI’s role in the selection and assessment process.” Another participant suggested that the session could have been extended, given the breadth of topics to explore, expressing, “This session was exceptional and could have easily lasted for 2 hours!” And ideas for future sessions were shared, including managing risks associated with AI.

In summary, this session provided a rich forum for SIOP practitioners, researchers, and UN HR professionals to discuss the complexities of incorporating AI into their selection processes. This session exemplified SIOP’s commitment to advancing organizational effectiveness and workforce science on a global scale.

The SIOP–UN Committee continues to look for additional ways to provide service to the UN and is open to any questions or suggestions from SIOP members. We also invite SIOP members who wish to be a part of such future efforts to indicate their interest in SIOP’s Corporate Social Responsibility, Pro-social, and Humanitarian I-O Psychology Registry and to ensure their content areas are updated in the Member Directory and Consultant Locator, as applicable.