Organizations are increasingly integrating AI applications into their decision-making processes. While these systems show strong potential to improve professional tasks, there is still limited understanding of how domain experts perceive and adopt them in practice.

Based on interviews with 15 recruitment professionals, this study finds that experts view AI primarily as a collaborative tool rather than a replacement for human expertise. AI is expected to provide additional insights and information, which professionals then interpret, evaluate, and justify using their experience and tacit knowledge in specific recruitment contexts.

The findings highlight that successful AI adoption depends on how well systems align with existing professional practices, social norms, and organizational values. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of human-centered AI design that supports effective human–AI collaboration in knowledge work.