Will ChatGPT bring a New Paradigm to HR World? A Critical Opinion Article

Since ChatGPT was first publicly available in November 2022, it has sparked attention worldwide. Some believe that ChatGPT might revolutionize our lives. There have been interesting discussions surrounding ChatGPT. In this chance, we explore the potential use of ChatGPT in the HR industry. For HR managers, the use of AI in HR has traditionally been limited to simple tasks, but ChatGPT's ability to understand and respond to natural language input opens up new possibilities for automating more complex HR tasks such as interviewing and onboarding. On the other side, ChatGPT can also help job seekers to get their dream jobs. To begin with, ChatGPT can be employed to find out the benefits and working environment in a specific company, although it should be noted that ChatGPT's answers cannot be blindly trusted. ChatGPT can also prepare a cover letter, a motivation letter, an application email, etc. Job seekers can even ask ChatGPT to act as an interviewer in an interview mockup. We present ChatGPT utilization examples in the HR world. In this article, we also conducted a mini experiment to investigate whether, in its current state, ChatGPT can generate a convincing cover letter that is able to fool HR specialists. The results showed that among the 5 study participants, none of them were able to correctly guess all of the letters, with the average correct answers of only 2 of 4 cover letters. Lastly, we also discuss the potential benefits and challenges of using ChatGPT in the HR industry in this article. Nevertheless, we argue that ChatGPT introduces a HR world’s paradigm shift.


Introduction
The field of human resources (HR) has always been highly dynamic, with new innovations and technologies reshaping the landscape every few years.The world of HR has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, driven by the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies.As organizations continue to strive for efficiency and effectiveness, the role of AI and ML in HR has become increasingly prominent.With the ability to automate and streamline HR processes, AI and ML have the potential to revolutionize the way businesses approach talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, and more.
One such application of AI and ML that is recently emerging is ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI that has the potential to revolutionize HR processes.Since ChatGPT was first made available to the public in November 2022 [1], ChatGPT has gained momentum and easily become a hot topic to be discussed worldwide [2][3][4].
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) language model developed by OpenAI.It is a variant of the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) family of models that are pre-trained on vast amounts of text data to generate human-like responses to natural language inputs.ChatGPT works by using deep learning techniques to analyze and understand the input provided by the user.It does this by breaking down the input into smaller components, such as individual words, phrases, and sentences, and then using its pre-trained knowledge of language and context to generate a response that is relevant and coherent.The model has been trained on a vast corpus of text data from the internet and various other sources, allowing it to generate responses on a wide range of topics.It has also been fine-tuned on specific tasks and domains to improve its accuracy and relevance to specific applications.ChatGPT's capabilities continue to improve as it is fed more data and as its algorithms and architectures evolve.Its ability to understand and generate natural language responses has significant implications for a wide range of applications, from customer service chatbots to virtual assistants and beyond.
Numerous academia, as well as professionals, have given their opinions about ChatGPT.
Plenty of studies related to ChatGPT have also been conducted.In [5], the authors explored ChatGPT's potential for assisting medical education by investigating ChatGPT's performance on US Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE).The results showed that ChatGPT performed at or near the passing threshold for all three exams without any specialized training or reinforcement.Similarly, in [6], the authors showed that ChatGPT might be capable enough to answer Indonesian Medical Doctor Licensing Exam.In [7], the authors demonstrated ChatGPT's potential for finance research.Although, many people are also worried about the negative side of ChatGPT.For example, in [8], the authors presented a discussion of whether ChatGPT brought an end to online exam integrity.Similarly, the authors in [9] brought their concerns about the academic integrity disruptions following the potential of using ChatGPT to perform academic cheating.In [10], a discussion of whether ChatGPT will replace programmers is presented.
The potential use of ChatGPT in academic publications has also been investigated.For starters, ChatGPT can be used to generate an academic abstract.As demonstrated in [6], the ChatGPT-generated abstracts are difficult to distinguish, even by professors and academic lecturers.GPT has even co-authored several academic papers [5,[11][12][13].However, not all publishers agree with this kind of practice [14].
Likewise, ChatGPT has a wide range of applications in HR, from recruiting to employee engagement and even performance management.By analyzing and understanding large volumes of data, ChatGPT can provide organizations with valuable insights into their workforce, helping them make better decisions and improve their overall performance.
Additionally, ChatGPT can also help HR professionals automate routine tasks, freeing up their time to focus on more strategic initiatives.
However, as with any new technology, there are also risks and potential downsides to consider.For example, the use of ChatGPT raises concerns about data privacy and security, as well as ethical issues related to bias and discrimination.Moreover, some may argue that the use of ChatGPT could lead to a reduction in the human touch and personal interactions that are so crucial in HR.
In this paper, the term ChatGPT is chosen since it is arguably the most popular large language model, at least until when this paper was written.However, this article and the term ChatGPT in this article might be expanded to any other large language models.This critical opinion article explores the potential benefits and risks associated with the use of ChatGPT in HR.We will examine the impact of this technology on the HR world, both from HR manager and job seeker perspectives and assess its potential to bring a new paradigm to the HR world.We will also analyze the ethical considerations of using ChatGPT in HR and discuss the role of HR professionals in overseeing and regulating the use of AI in the workplace.
In this article, we conducted a mini experiment to investigate whether, in its current state, ChatGPT can generate a convincing cover letter that is able to fool HR specialists.To do that, we recruited 5 HR specialists holding at least a master's degree in HR management to answer a questionnaire.The questionnaire consists of 4 different cover letters, two of which are generated by ChatGPT.For each item of the questionnaire, the participants are asked to guess whether the presented cover letter is human-made or ChatGPT-made.
Overall, while the use of ChatGPT in HR is still in its early stages, it is clear that this technology has the potential to bring significant changes to the field.As HR professionals and organizations continue to explore the use of AI and ML in HR, it will be essential to carefully consider the potential benefits and risks associated with these technologies and ensure that they are used in an ethical and responsible manner.
The main contributions of this article are three-fold: • This article demonstrates practical examples of how HR managers and job seekers can utilize ChatGPT to help them achieve their objectives.
• This article provides a brief insight into whether, in its current form, ChatGPTgenerated cover letters are able to fool HR specialists.
• This article presents discussions on the benefits as well as challenges and risks of ChatGPT utilization in the HR world.
Finally, the rest of this article is organized as follows.In Section II, we present the method of this study.Section III presents the results and discussions of this study.The results and discussions section describes the ChatGPT potential in the HR world, followed by examples of ChatGPT utilization for both HR managers and job seekers.In this section, we also present the result of the mini experiment: Can ChatGPT-generated Cover Letters Fool HR Specialists?and the discussion of the downside and potential risks of ChatGPT utilization in the HR world, followed by study limitations and recommendations for future works.

Method
This critical opinion article is intended to explore and demonstrate the capability of ChatGPT to bring a new paradigm and revolutionize the HR world.Therefore, we present several ChatGPT potential utilization in the HR world from two different perspectives: Job seekers and HR managers.For HR managers, the use of AI in HR has traditionally been limited to simple tasks, but ChatGPT's ability to understand and respond to natural language input opens up new possibilities for automating more complex HR tasks such as interviewing and onboarding.On the other side, ChatGPT can also help job seekers to get their dream jobs.To begin with, ChatGPT can be employed to find out the benefits and working environment in a specific company, although it should be noted that ChatGPT's answers cannot be blindly trusted.ChatGPT can also prepare a cover letter, a motivation letter, an application email, etc.
Job seekers can even ask ChatGPT to act as an interviewer in an interview mockup.This article presents practical examples, including the commands and ChatGPT's answers for the given commands.
In addition to the presented examples, we went a little bit further by asking 5 HR specialists holding at least a master's degree in HR management to answer a questionnaire.
The participants are either working in a national/multinational company or as university lecturers.The questionnaire consists of 4 different cover letters, two of which are generated by ChatGPT.We did not disclose this composition to the participants.For each item of the questionnaire, the participants are asked to guess whether the presented cover letter is human-made or ChatGPT-made.The questionnaire is collected via Google Forms in an anonymous manner, meaning that no identities were gathered, and the collected answers cannot be surely linked to specific participants.Still, before answering the questionnaire, the participants are asked to provide written informed consent through Google Forms.The questionnaire is intended to investigate whether ChatGPT-generated cover letters can be detected and distinguished by HR specialists.
Lastly, in this article, we also discuss potential challenges, risks, and downsides that might accompany ChatGPT utilization in the HR world.Among them are the concerns regarding data privacy and security, as well as potential biases and ethical issues.Note that the majority of the examples, as well as the discussion presented in this article, are derived from the authors' opinions since this article is intended to be a critical opinion article.Nevertheless, almost every opinion that we have presented in this article is derived from recent high-quality underlying studies/theories.

A. ChatGPT potentials in HR world
In the Introduction section of the article, the author should describe the state of the art of the problem, as well as justify and present the problem and the objectives of his work.The introduction is the opening text of the article, which should present: general considerations about the theme, other similar articles published recently in journals about the theme, the science gap, the purpose and objectives of the proposed work, as well as limitations among other relevant issues that explore the topic addressed, and the contribution of the article.
ChatGPT has a wide range of potential in the HR world.One of the most significant potentials is its ability to automate routine HR tasks, such as creating an assessment form and writing an email template (e.g., for candidate outreach, for assigning a job, meeting schedules, etc.), and responding to employee inquiries.By automating these tasks, HR professionals can free up their time to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as talent development and retention.
Another potential of ChatGPT in HR is its ability to improve the recruitment process.
ChatGPT can generate interview questions for a specific job position, formulate boolean search strings for candidate searching, and write job descriptions and job advertisements.ChatGPT can also analyze resumes and job descriptions to identify the best-fit candidates for a particular role with given requirements.It can also assist with pre-screening candidates by asking relevant questions and providing feedback to HR professionals.This can help to speed up the recruitment process and reduce the time-to-hire.
ChatGPT can also help to improve employee engagement by providing personalized recommendations for learning and development opportunities.By analyzing an employee's performance and behavior, ChatGPT can recommend specific training courses or coaching sessions that can help them improve their skills and performance.Furthermore, ChatGPT can assist in performance management by providing real-time feedback and coaching to employees.By analyzing employee behavior and performance data, ChatGPT can identify areas where an employee may need to improve and provide personalized feedback and coaching to help them improve their performance.ChatGPT can also help HR professionals to better understand their workforce by analyzing employee feedback and sentiment data.By understanding employee attitudes and behaviors, HR professionals can identify areas where they may need to improve the employee experience and take steps to improve employee engagement and retention.
For job seekers, ChatGPT can be used to learn about the perks and working environment at a certain company, but it should be highlighted that the results should not be taken at face value.A cover letter, a motivation letter, an application email, etc., can all be prepared with ChatGPT.Job seekers can even ask ChatGPT to act as an interviewer in a job interview practice.

B. Examples of ChatGPT utilization for HR managers
In this section, we will present several examples of ChatGPT Utilization for HR Managers.HR managers can use ChatGPT in a variety of ways to improve HR processes and outcomes.Some of the ways HR managers can use ChatGPT include: • Recruitment: ChatGPT can assist in the recruitment process by analyzing resumes and job descriptions to identify the best-fit candidates for a particular role.It can also assist with pre-screening candidates by asking relevant questions and providing feedback to HR professionals.
• Onboarding: ChatGPT can be used to automate onboarding processes, such as scheduling orientation sessions and sending new hire paperwork.
• Performance management: ChatGPT can assist in performance management by providing real-time feedback and coaching to employees.By analyzing employee behavior and performance data, ChatGPT can identify areas where an employee may need to improve and provide personalized feedback and coaching to help them improve their performance.
• Employee engagement: ChatGPT can provide personalized recommendations for learning and development opportunities.By analyzing an employee's performance and behavior, ChatGPT can recommend specific training courses or coaching sessions that can help them improve their skills and performance.
• Employee support: ChatGPT can be used to provide employees with ondemand support for HR-related questions and issues.By automating routine inquiries, HR professionals can free up their time to focus on more strategic initiatives.
• Data analysis: ChatGPT can assist in analyzing employee feedback and sentiment data to help HR professionals better understand their workforce.By understanding employee attitudes and behaviors, HR professionals can identify areas where they may need to improve the employee experience and take steps to improve employee engagement and retention.

Command:
"I will give you a job description and a job requirement.Extract interview questions from this job description to ask a candidate in an interview." • Job Title: RF Engineer

C. Examples of ChatGPT utilization for job seekers
In this section, we will present several examples of ChatGPT Utilization for Job Seekers.
Job seekers can use ChatGPT to improve their job search experience and increase their chances of finding a suitable job.Some of the ways Job Seekers can use ChatGPT include: • Resume optimization: ChatGPT can analyze a job seeker's resume and provide personalized feedback on how to optimize it for specific job opportunities.It can suggest changes to the resume structure, formatting, and wording to improve its relevance and match the job requirements.
• Job matching: ChatGPT can help job seekers find suitable job opportunities by analyzing their skills, experience, and job preferences.It can provide personalized job recommendations and suggest jobs that match the job seeker's qualifications and interests.
• Interview preparation: ChatGPT can assist job seekers in preparing for job interviews by providing tips and suggestions on how to answer common interview questions.It can also simulate job interviews and provide feedback on the job seeker's responses, helping them to refine their interview skills.
•   and one participant (Participant 2) only managed to correctly guess 1 cover letter.However, this result is not surprising as it is in line with the result from a recent study [17] which showed that ChatGPT fools HR professionals.In that study, it was stated that AI writes motivation letters and test assignments better than 80% of applicants.

Factors to consider
While there are many potential benefits to using ChatGPT in the HR world, there are also several downsides and potential risks that must be considered.One of the most significant downsides of using ChatGPT in HR is the risk of bias and discrimination.ChatGPT relies on data and algorithms to make decisions, and if these are biased or flawed, they can lead to discriminatory outcomes [18].For example, if the data used to train ChatGPT is biased against certain groups, it can lead to discriminatory hiring decisions or biased performance evaluations.HR professionals must ensure that they are using unbiased data and algorithms and closely monitor the performance of ChatGPT to ensure that it is not perpetuating systemic biases.
ChatGPT uses machine learning techniques to analyze and understand the input provided by the user.Previous occasions have shown that inappropriate training data and improper machine learning algorithms lead to biased and unethical decisions.In 2015, Google's Photos labeled images of black people as 'gorillas' [19].Twitter [20] and IBM [21], two giant technology companies, have also faced similar issues regarding biased facial recognition technologies.
Another potential downside of using ChatGPT in HR is the risk of losing the human touch in HR processes.While ChatGPT can automate routine tasks, it is important to remember that HR is a people-centered field, and personal interactions are crucial.HR professionals must ensure that the use of ChatGPT does not lead to a reduction in the quality of human interactions and that they are still actively engaging with employees and candidates.Moreover, ChatGPT may not be suitable for all HR functions, especially those that require a high level of emotional intelligence, such as conflict resolution or employee counseling.ChatGPT may not be able to understand or interpret complex emotions and feelings, and as such, may not be able to provide the same level of support and guidance that a human HR professional could.HR professionals should ensure that the use of ChatGPT should not waive the employee rights of personal interactions and fair assessment.
Another potential downside of using ChatGPT in HR is the risk of technical errors and malfunctions.ChatGPT relies on complex algorithms and machine learning models, which can be prone to errors and technical issues.If these issues occur, it can lead to delays and disruptions in HR processes, which can have a negative impact on the employee experience.
Finally, the use of ChatGPT in HR may lead to concerns over data privacy and security.ChatGPT relies on collecting and analyzing large volumes of employee data, and if this data is not properly secured, it can lead to privacy breaches and data leaks.HR professionals must ensure that they are using ChatGPT in a secure and responsible manner and that they are complying with relevant data privacy regulations.As the rights of personal data belong to their owner, in this context, the employee and all of the parties must be made aware and provide their consent that their data are being stored [and being utilized] by ChatGPT.In addition, currently, there are no specific worldwide-accepted legal regulations for ChatGPT (or any large language models).Therefore, the user's privacy and security are not fully guaranteed by the law.
At this point, one question arises.Is using ChatGPT to obtain a dream job considered 'ethical'?While employing ChatGPT for interview practices, job matching, and finding out the perks and working environment in a specific company is arguably acceptable, using ChatGPT for writing motivation and cover letters is debatable.One might argue that ChatGPT only wrote those letters based on the information that we have provided and, thus, did not fall within the ethical misconduct category.However, others will argue that utilizing ChatGPT to write cover letters is analogous to using it to write an academic article.Thus, it is considered unethical.
Another argument that is against the utilization of ChatGPT to create a motivation letter is that a motivation letter should be written in a way to show the applicant's writing quality, capabilities, and motivation for joining the company.ChatGPT not only enables job applicants to fake their interests and motivations in joining a particular company, but it also helps lazy applicants by writing their letters.Unfortunately, as this study and a previous study [17] have found out, it is rather difficult to distinguish which letters are human-made or ChatGPTgenerated.In [17], it was even stated that AI writes motivation letters and test assignments better than 80% of applicants.
In conclusion, while there are potential risks and downsides associated with the use of ChatGPT in HR, it is clear that this technology has the potential to bring significant changes to the field.As HR professionals and organizations continue to explore the use of AI and ML in HR, it will be essential to carefully consider the potential benefits and risks associated with these technologies and ensure that they are used in an ethical and responsible manner.By doing so, organizations can leverage the power of ChatGPT to drive improved performance and engagement while minimizing the risks and downsides.

F. Study limitations and recommendations for future works
One of the limitations of this study is the lack of empirical data on the use of ChatGPT in the HR world.This is because ChatGPT itself is a relatively new technology (i.e., made available to the public only in November 2022).While there are some case studies and anecdotal evidence of successful implementation, there is a need for more rigorous research to evaluate the effectiveness of ChatGPT in various HR processes.Future research should aim to conduct empirical studies with larger samples and control groups to assess the impact of ChatGPT on HR outcomes.Another limitation of this study is the potential bias introduced by the critical opinion article format.While this article provides a balanced perspective on the potential benefits and downsides of using ChatGPT in the HR world, future research should aim to use more objective measures and methodologies to evaluate the impact of ChatGPT.
It should be noted that the result of the mini-experiment cannot be generalized.The number of participants is only 5, which is far from enough to create a generalizable result.
Moreover, the recruited participants are all from Indonesia, where English is not their main language.Therefore, it is possible that their failure to provide correct guesses is because of their lack of English fluency.It is also possible that the quality of the human-made cover letters is not good enough (for HR specialist standards), which makes the participants assume that those letters are AI-generated.Future studies with a higher number of letters and a higher number of participants from more heterogeneous backgrounds are needed to produce a more comprehensive and generalizable result.Nevertheless, although it cannot be generalized, the result of the mini-experiment in this study suggested that ChatGPT, in its current version, is able to generate a convincing cover letter that might be able to fool readers, which in this case is HR specialists.
One potential area for future research is the ethical implications of using ChatGPT in the HR world.As AI and ML technologies become more sophisticated, there is a need to address issues such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and ethical decision-making.Overall, while this study provides a critical opinion on the potential of ChatGPT in the HR world, there is a need for more empirical research to assess its impact and effectiveness.
Future research should aim to address the limitations of this study and provide a more objective evaluation of the benefits and challenges of using ChatGPT in HR processes.

Conclusions
While ChatGPT [or in this context, any other large language models] has the potential to revolutionize HR processes, it is important to consider the potential risks and downsides associated with its use.One of the most significant concerns is the risk of bias and discrimination in hiring and performance management.ChatGPT relies on data and algorithms to make decisions, and if these are biased or flawed, they can lead to discriminatory outcomes.
HR professionals must ensure that they are using unbiased data and algorithms and closely monitor the performance of ChatGPT to ensure that it is not perpetuating systemic biases.
Another potential downside of using ChatGPT is the risk of losing the human touch in HR processes.While ChatGPT can automate routine tasks, it is important to remember that HR is a people-centered field, and personal interactions are crucial.HR professionals must ensure that the use of ChatGPT does not lead to a reduction in the quality of human interactions and that they are still actively engaging with employees and candidates.
However, there are also many potential benefits to using ChatGPT in HR.One of the most significant benefits is the ability to analyze and interpret large volumes of data.ChatGPT can help HR professionals identify patterns and trends in employee behavior and performance, providing valuable insights that can help organizations improve their overall performance.
Another potential benefit of using ChatGPT in HR is the ability to automate routine tasks, such as scheduling interviews and responding to employee inquiries.This can free up HR professionals to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as talent development and retention.
Ultimately, the use of ChatGPT in HR is still in its early stages, and its potential impact on the field is not yet fully understood.However, as with any new technology, it is important to proceed with caution and carefully consider the potential benefits and risks associated with its use.HR professionals must ensure that they are using ChatGPT in an ethical and responsible manner and that they are closely monitoring its performance to ensure that it is achieving the desired outcomes.
In this article, we have presented several examples of ChatGPT utilization in the HR world, both from the HR manager and job seeker perspectives.We also present the potential benefits as well as technical challenges and potential risks of employing ChatGPT in HR tasks.
This article also presents a mini-experiment in which five HR specialists are asked to distinguish the cover letters that are generated by ChatGPT.The result showed that none of the participants were able to correctly guess all of the letters, with an average score of two correct answers from four cover letters.This result indicates that even in its current state, ChatGPT-generated cover letters are able to fool HR specialists.
In conclusion, while there are potential risks and benefits associated with the use of ChatGPT in HR, it is clear that this technology has the potential to bring significant changes to the field.As HR professionals and organizations continue to explore the use of AI and ML in HR, it will be essential to carefully consider the potential benefits and risks associated with these technologies and ensure that they are used in an ethical and responsible manner.By doing so, organizations can leverage the power of ChatGPT to drive improved performance and engagement while maintaining the human touch that is so crucial in the HR world.
Future research should aim to develop frameworks and guidelines for the ethical use of ChatGPT in HR processes.Another area for future research is the integration of ChatGPT with other HR technologies and systems.While ChatGPT has the potential to automate many HR processes, there is a need to integrate it with existing HR systems and technologies to ensure seamless integration and data sharing.Future research should aim to explore the challenges and opportunities of integrating ChatGPT with other HR technologies.

*
[16]accuracy of ChatGPT's answer for this matter cannot be blindly trusted.In the current state, the user might need to verify ChatGPT's answers that are data-sensitive.ChatGPT relies on publicly available data[15], and sometimes, it generates random dummy data [at least until the current version of ChatGPT][16]. D.

Mini experiment: Can ChatGPT-generated cover letters fool HR specialists?
In this work, we conducted a mini experiment to investigate whether, in its current state, ChatGPT can generate a convincing cover letter that is able to fool HR specialists.To do that, we recruited 5 Indonesian HR specialists holding at least a master's degree in HR management to answer a questionnaire.The participants are either working in a national/multinational company or as university lecturers.The questionnaire consists of 4 different cover letters, two of which are generated by ChatGPT, while the other two are made by us (human-made).For each item of the questionnaire, the participants are asked to guess whether the presented cover letter is human-made or ChatGPT-made.The questionnaire is collected via Google Forms.The detailed questionnaire, as well as the cover letters used in the study, are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Table 1 .
The Result of the Mini Experiment: Can ChatGPT-generated Cover Letters Fool HR Specialists?