AI Is Now Making Critical Career Decisions

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool for optimizing workflows; it's now making crucial decisions about who gets a promotion and who gets laid off.

The Rise of the AI Manager

A startling new survey from Resume Builder reveals that this isn't a future possibility—it's happening now. The survey, which polled 1,342 U.S. managers, found that a significant 6 in 10 are using AI tools to help make decisions about their direct reports.

Even more surprising is the gravity of these decisions. Managers aren't just using AI for menial tasks; they are turning to it for high-stakes calls, including determining pay raises, awarding promotions, and even deciding who to terminate.

Untrained Managers and Their Digital Assistants

Despite the weight of these responsibilities, a concerning two-thirds of managers using AI admitted they have received no formal training on how to use these powerful tools for people management. This raises serious questions about fairness, bias, and oversight.

The most favored tool among these managers is ChatGPT, with 53% citing it as their primary choice. Microsoft’s Copilot is used by nearly 30% of managers, and 16% rely on Google’s Gemini.

Human Touch vs. Algorithmic Decisions

While other workplace surveys have indicated that managers adopt AI more readily than their employees, these latest findings paint a picture of a future where leadership could become dangerously detached.

Stacie Haller, the chief career advisor at Resume Builder, issued a stark warning. “While AI can support data-driven insights, it lacks context, empathy, and judgment,” she stated. Haller emphasized that it's critical not to lose the “people” in “people management,” highlighting that AI is only as good as the data it's trained on, which can be inherently flawed or even manipulated.

These concerns have reached lawmakers. In California, a state senator introduced the “No Robo Bosses Act” in March. The proposed legislation aims to prevent employers from allowing AI to make key employment decisions—like hiring, firing, or promotions—without direct human oversight.

“AI must remain a tool controlled by humans, not the other way around,” said California State Sen. Jerry McNerney in the announcement.

AI's Ripple Effect on the Job Market

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini have quickly reshaped the professional landscape. Their influence is creating one of the toughest job markets in years for new college graduates, as AI begins to automate tasks once performed in entry-level white-collar roles.

Simultaneously, employers are being inundated with AI-generated resumes. According to The New York Times, the volume of applications on LinkedIn has skyrocketed by over 45% in the last year, with the platform processing an average of 11,000 applications every minute.

The Lingering Question: How Is AI Being Used?

One crucial detail the Resume Builder survey doesn't clarify is how managers are using these AI tools. There is a vast difference between using AI to organize performance metrics for a review and simply asking ChatGPT, “Should I fire Steve?” This ambiguity leaves a critical question unanswered as we navigate this new era of management.