Unilever uses artificial intelligence (AI) in its business. This technology changes work methods across functions. A key area is HR and recruitment processes. Unilever uses AI-driven digital assessments to hire new graduates (Marr, 2018). This AI helps Unilever screen about 1.8 million applications. Using AI for selection saves Unilever’s recruiters 70,000 hours of interview time (Marr, 2018). It proves that AI is used in recruitment to handle evaluation stages. This allows human recruiters to concentrate on the final hiring stages with fewer talented candidates (CIPD, 2024). Internally, Unilever employs AI chatbots like “Unabot”. This virtual assistant instantly answers employees’ HR queries and IT questions using natural language understanding. This improves service and helps HR staff with routine tasks. Beyond HR, Unilever applies AI in its supply chain and marketing. Machine learning forecasts demand and optimises stock by analysing sales, weather, and trends. This boosts efficiency.
AI affects work at Unilever by taking over time-intensive tasks and boosting efficiency. This allows employees to focus on higher-value activities. It automates the initial stages of recruitment (CIPD, 2025). Unilever’s HR team spend more time engaging finalists and enhancing the candidate experience instead of manually sifting countless CVs (Marr, 2018). Moreover, AI creates new skill requirements and alters job design. Employees need training to work with AI tools. Unilever’s recruiters, for example, learned to interpret AI outputs while ensuring fairness and diversity in hiring (Unilever, 2021). Reskilling the workforce with digital skills is crucial. Staff must use AI insights, like data visualisations, for better decisions. Also, Unilever mainly uses AI to support employees, augment talent selection and customer service roles, and not replace people. Thus, leaders ensure transparency, reduce bias and involve HR to balance performance with well-being (Pacelli and Pacelli, 2025).
References
Marr, B. (2018). The amazing ways how Unilever uses artificial intelligence to recruit & train thousands of employees. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/12/14/the-amazing-ways-how-unilever-uses-artificial-intelligence-to-recruit-train-thousands-of-employees/. CIPD Factsheet (2024). CIPD | Employer branding | factsheets. [online] CIPD. Available at: https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/factsheets/recruitment-brand-factsheet/. Unilever (2021). The future of skills: Using tech to put people first. [online] Unilever. Available at: https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2021/the-future-of-skills-using-tech-to-put-people-first/. Pacelli, A. and Pacelli, A. (2025). HR can play ‘a central role’ in responsible AI adoption. [online] HRreview. Available at: https://hrreview.co.uk/hr-news/l-d-news/hr-can-play-a-central-role-in-responsible-ai-adoption/379475.
