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Listen "Ep 91: Evolving Candidate Engagement from Conversational AI to Hiring Intelligence with Prem Kumar"
Episode Synopsis
Bob Pulver speaks with Prem Kumar, CEO and Co-founder of Humanly.io, about the evolution of hiring technology and the company's transition from a conversational AI tool to a full-fledged AI-powered hiring platform. Prem discusses the impact of Humanly’s recent acquisitions, expansion into post-hire engagement, and how they help employers address challenges in both high-volume and knowledge worker recruiting. Prem emphasizes the need for responsible, inclusive, and human-centric AI design, and explains how Humanly is helping organizations speed up hiring without sacrificing quality, fairness, or candidate experience.
Keywords Humanly, conversational AI, AI interviewing, responsible AI, candidate experience, recruiting automation, employee engagement, AI acquisitions, ethics, RecFest, quality of hire, neurodiversity, candidate feedback, interview intelligence, AI coach, sourcing automation
Takeaways
Humanly’s evolution includes three strategic acquisitions that expand its platform from candidate screening to post-hire engagement.
The company’s mission is to help employers talk to 100% of their applicants—not just the 5% that typically make it through—and reduce time-to-hire.
Prem highlights how AI can reduce ghosting by creating 24/7 availability and real-time Q&A touchpoints for candidates.
Interview feedback tools and coaching features are being developed for both candidates and recruiters.
The importance of AI workflow integration is critical—tools must operate within a recruiter’s day-to-day flow to be effective.
Humanly’s platform helps uncover quality-of-hire insights by connecting interview behaviors with long-term employee outcomes.
The need for third-party AI audits and ethical guardrails.
Insights from diverse candidate populations—including neurodiverse candidates and early-career talent—are shaping Humanly’s inclusive design practices.
Quotes
“It’s not human vs. AI—it’s AI vs. being ignored.”
“Our goal is to reduce time-to-hire without compromising quality or fairness.”
“We’re obsessed with the problem, not just the solution. That’s what keeps us grounded as we scale.”
“Responsible AI should be audited just like SOC 2 or ISO—trust is foundational in hiring.”
“The best interview for one role won’t be the same for another. That’s where personalization and learning matter.”
“Everything we’ve done to improve access for neurodiverse candidates has made the experience better for everyone.”
Chapters
00:00 – Intro and Prem’s Background
01:00 – Humanly's Origins and the Candidate Experience Gap
03:00 – 2025 Growth, Funding, and Acquisition Strategy
05:15 – From Conversational AI to Full-Funnel Hiring Platform
06:30 – High-Volume and Knowledge Workers
08:00 – Combating Ghosting and Delays with AI Speed
10:30 – Candidate Support and Interview Feedback
12:00 – Creating a 24/7 Conversational Layer for Applicants
13:45 – Data-Driven Hiring and Candidate Self-Selection
15:00 – Interview Coaching and Practice Tools
17:00 – Acquisitions and Platform Consolidation Feedback
18:45 – Responsible AI and Third-Party Auditing
21:00 – Partnering with Values-Aligned Teams and Investors
22:00 – Measuring Candidate Experience Across All Interactions
24:00 – Connecting Interview Behavior to Quality of Hire
26:00 – Coaching Recruiters and Interview Intelligence
28:45 – Expanding Into Post-Hire and Internal Conversations
30:00 – The Future of AI in HR and Internal Use Cases
34:00 – Designing Inclusively for Diverse Candidate Needs
36:00 – Modalities, Accessibility, and Equity in Interviewing
39:00 – Generative AI Reflections and Everyday Use
42:00 – Wrapping Up: What's Next for Humanly
Prem Kumar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/premskumar
Humanly: https://humanly.io
For advisory work and marketing inquiries:
Bob Pulver: https://linkedin.com/in/bobpulver
Elevate Your AIQ: https://elevateyouraiq.com
Substack: https://elevateyouraiq.substack.com
Keywords Humanly, conversational AI, AI interviewing, responsible AI, candidate experience, recruiting automation, employee engagement, AI acquisitions, ethics, RecFest, quality of hire, neurodiversity, candidate feedback, interview intelligence, AI coach, sourcing automation
Takeaways
Humanly’s evolution includes three strategic acquisitions that expand its platform from candidate screening to post-hire engagement.
The company’s mission is to help employers talk to 100% of their applicants—not just the 5% that typically make it through—and reduce time-to-hire.
Prem highlights how AI can reduce ghosting by creating 24/7 availability and real-time Q&A touchpoints for candidates.
Interview feedback tools and coaching features are being developed for both candidates and recruiters.
The importance of AI workflow integration is critical—tools must operate within a recruiter’s day-to-day flow to be effective.
Humanly’s platform helps uncover quality-of-hire insights by connecting interview behaviors with long-term employee outcomes.
The need for third-party AI audits and ethical guardrails.
Insights from diverse candidate populations—including neurodiverse candidates and early-career talent—are shaping Humanly’s inclusive design practices.
Quotes
“It’s not human vs. AI—it’s AI vs. being ignored.”
“Our goal is to reduce time-to-hire without compromising quality or fairness.”
“We’re obsessed with the problem, not just the solution. That’s what keeps us grounded as we scale.”
“Responsible AI should be audited just like SOC 2 or ISO—trust is foundational in hiring.”
“The best interview for one role won’t be the same for another. That’s where personalization and learning matter.”
“Everything we’ve done to improve access for neurodiverse candidates has made the experience better for everyone.”
Chapters
00:00 – Intro and Prem’s Background
01:00 – Humanly's Origins and the Candidate Experience Gap
03:00 – 2025 Growth, Funding, and Acquisition Strategy
05:15 – From Conversational AI to Full-Funnel Hiring Platform
06:30 – High-Volume and Knowledge Workers
08:00 – Combating Ghosting and Delays with AI Speed
10:30 – Candidate Support and Interview Feedback
12:00 – Creating a 24/7 Conversational Layer for Applicants
13:45 – Data-Driven Hiring and Candidate Self-Selection
15:00 – Interview Coaching and Practice Tools
17:00 – Acquisitions and Platform Consolidation Feedback
18:45 – Responsible AI and Third-Party Auditing
21:00 – Partnering with Values-Aligned Teams and Investors
22:00 – Measuring Candidate Experience Across All Interactions
24:00 – Connecting Interview Behavior to Quality of Hire
26:00 – Coaching Recruiters and Interview Intelligence
28:45 – Expanding Into Post-Hire and Internal Conversations
30:00 – The Future of AI in HR and Internal Use Cases
34:00 – Designing Inclusively for Diverse Candidate Needs
36:00 – Modalities, Accessibility, and Equity in Interviewing
39:00 – Generative AI Reflections and Everyday Use
42:00 – Wrapping Up: What's Next for Humanly
Prem Kumar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/premskumar
Humanly: https://humanly.io
For advisory work and marketing inquiries:
Bob Pulver: https://linkedin.com/in/bobpulver
Elevate Your AIQ: https://elevateyouraiq.com
Substack: https://elevateyouraiq.substack.com
More episodes of the podcast Elevate Your AIQ
Ep 94: Redefining Recruitment For a More Human-Centric Hiring Experience with Keith Langbo
21/11/2025
Ep 93: Strengthening Human Connection to Build Trust in AI-Fueled Transformation with Dan Riley
14/11/2025
Ep 92: Appreciating the Importance of Self-Awareness to Human-AI Collaboration with Brad Topliff
07/11/2025
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