Why Human-First AI Is Winning in Hiring
Sterling Smith
August 15, 2025 · 3 min read
The interview problem nobody’s talking about
Hello 👋🏾
This morning, on Martha’s Vineyard, we gathered hiring leaders, investors, and innovators for our Ethical AI Coffee Meetup. The conversations made one thing clear: the future of hiring won’t be decided by who has the most AI—it’ll be decided by who uses AI to make hiring more human.
Earlier in the week, we brought together the community for an event at our Ethical AI House on the Vineyard with the one and only . These connections remind me why we’re building RightMatch: to bring humanity back into hiring through intelligent technology and to share our journey of building high-impact tech using AI.
As founder of RightMatch AI, I’ve seen both sides: technology that automates candidates into oblivion, and technology that opens space for authentic, revealing conversations. We’re building the latter.
This newsletter aims to cut through the noise and deliver actionable intelligence that will help you make better hiring decisions and build stronger teams.
3-Point Friday: AI & Talent Acquisition (Korn Ferry, 2025)
🏀 The Assist: The Assist – 67% of recruiters upped AI use this year, but most tools make hiring robotic. The real win? AI that amplifies human connection.
🏀 The Steal: Skills-based hiring is 2025’s top priority, yet execution lags. The firms who crack this first will own the talent market.
🏀 The Fast Break: With 75% of companies locked into hybrid work, demand is spiking for interview tools that assess remote collaboration skills.
The Interview Problem No One’s Talking About
Most interviews are stuck in rigid scripts. A candidate says, “I know Python”, and the interviewer moves on. The good stuff—the thinking, the problem-solving—never comes out.
RightMatch changes that.
Example:
Candidate: “I’m experienced with Python, JavaScript, and Java.”
RightMatch: “Tell me about the trickiest Python bug you’ve debugged. How did you approach it?”
No generic checklists. Just intelligent, adaptive follow-ups that make interviews feel like professional dialogues—and reveal how candidates actually think.
The result? Candidates feel respected. Hiring teams get sharper insights. Everyone wins.
Sterling Smith
Founder & CEO, RightMatch AI
P.S. We’re inviting a small group into our Done-For-You hiring beta. If you want in, reply with BETA and I’ll personally reach out.