Kim and Rachel at CollaborationX: Shaping the future of staffing with AI

This year, Collaboration in the Gig Economy evolved into CollaborationX: AI & Tech in Staffing and Workforce Solutions, bringing a bold new focus on innovation, intelligence and digital transformation.

AI is reshaping staffing

The event made one thing clear: AI isn’t just tweaking workflows, it’s reshaping staffing. Across keynotes, panels and roundtables, leaders debated people vs. software, speed vs. trust and automation vs. empathy. The debates determined that the firms that succeed won’t choose sides. They’ll design systems where humans and AI complement each other and where clients, candidates and recruiters can trust the outcomes.

Key takeaways from CollaborationX

• Autonomy is uneven: Tasks like sourcing and candidate communication are rapidly transforming, while compliance and payroll remain human-led. Hybrid models will dominate in the near term.
• Outcomes over process: Clients care about results, not processes. Fast responses and quality experiences build trust, whether it’s a recruiter or an AI tool. Win small with lightweight pilots, then scale once the value is proven.
• Empathy still matters: Automation drives efficiency, but human connection remains irreplaceable, especially around pay and sensitive issues.
• Ethics and transparency are table stakes: Candidates deserve to know if AI is involved in hiring decisions. Firms that embed fairness, accountability and transparency into their AI strategies will build trust.
• The staffing model itself is evolving: With AI agents on the horizon, not only tasks but the industry structure itself is changing. Staffing firms need to rethink how they engage and place talent.
• Execution is everything: Staffing firms aren’t short of ideas, they’re short of scalable, governed approaches that actually fit into how the business runs. Pilots and champions are key, but real success comes from enterprise-wide adoption without creating silos.

Insights from the keynotes: Barry Asin & Brian Wallins

Barry Asin & Brian Wallins highlighted that AI is no longer optional. Labor markets are shifting, flexible work is booming and staffing platforms are expanding. Economic and political risks are slowing hiring cycles, so adaptability is key. Firms that combine agility, thoughtful AI adoption and specialization will stand out.

Generative and Voice AI are already transforming recruiting tasks, and AI agents could soon power autonomous staffing models. OpenAI’s entry into jobs by 2026 shows how fast competition is evolving: staffing firms need to act now.

Brian Evergreen emphasized that old digital transformation playbooks don’t work with AI. His concept of “Autonomous Transformation” pairs technology breakthroughs with management breakthroughs.

The lessons:

• Vision matters more than tools.
• Augmentation beats replacement. AI should empower people.
• Systems thinking outperforms siloed optimization.

Evergreen made strategy tangible through analogies like chess, cathedral building and Blockbuster vs. Netflix, challenging leaders to not just adapt to the future, create it.

Making the Promise of Voice AI Real: Case Studies for Success

In addition to the great takeaways from the sessions attended, our Product Operations Manager Kim Ullstrup had the opportunity to join a panel during one of the breakout sessions on day 2 called, “Making the Promise of Voice AI Real: Case Studies for Success.” She was joined by Aaron Wang, the CEO of our current VoiceAI partner, Alex AI, Jamie Donnelly, CEO & President of Integrity Staffing Solution and Ashwarya Poddar, CEO and Founder of ConverzAI.

The panel focused on sharing real world success with VoiceAI, tips on evaluating partners and findings from implementation.

Key takeaways:

• VoiceAI helps scale candidate connections while improving their experience.
• Evaluating partners requires clear priorities. For us, it boiled down to candidate experience, recruiter workflow, integration and partnership potential.
• When done right, VoiceAI reduces costs, boosts satisfaction and drives recruiter productivity.

The message across the event was clear: AI can’t stay in pilot mode forever. Success depends on leadership alignment, governance and culture, reimagining roles and incentives to make AI a trusted, sustainable part of staffing.