- HR Tech Vegas 2025 — What the TA Pros Really Saw - September 23, 2025
- Templates for Job Descriptions: The Quiet Hero of Recruiting Efficiency - September 22, 2025
- Hiring Trends 2025: What’s Getting Cut (and What Isn’t) - September 19, 2025
I missed HR Tech Vegas 2025 (scheduling conflicts), but I still got the scoop. I asked a few folks I trust in the TA and HR space to tell me what stood out.
Here’s what they said hit hardest, what raised eyebrows, and what made them think twice.
The Vibe Was High, But the Signal Was…Mixed
Serge Boudreau called it straight:
“Agentic AI was definitely the buzz, most vendors still not focused on the problem and how to fix it. Theres so much noise in the space its very difficult for practitioners to know what’s real and good compared to the vaporware out there.”
Phil Hespen was even more blunt:
“Everyone saying ‘Agentic’… big ick.”
Noted.
Katrina Kibben dropped facts as usual:
“The problems we have had forever are bigger now and would bury any team. I’m talking 100k applications where they used to get 3k in the same time period. I think a tipping point is here for sure after talking to practitioners this week.”
AI is Here, But Who is Ready?
Julia Levy nailed a key concern:
“There is still going to be a challenge how to upskill TA/HR Teams on how to use the new AI and how buyers can be better informed on the right questions to ask before buying or implementing. There was some cool tech around AI and Analytics. Lots of conversations around the big acquisitions in the space and what some of the other legacy tech is going to do to keep up.”
Graham Thornton also chimed in on AI:
“My few cents: The biggest irony: we’re using AI to solve problems created by AI. Job seekers are using AI to apply to everything, creating massive candidate volume that companies now need AI tools to filter through.
The best conversations weren’t about “AI-powered” features (everyone has those now) – they were with leaders who had crystal clarity on the specific problems they were solving. Technology matters less than the thinking behind it.”
Context is King
Mark Tomasino got deep into the weeds of the tools. His big takeaway?
“I really enjoyed diving deep into product solutions at the Expo. There are a lot of emergent players focused on ai interviewing and recruiting orchestration.
My big “aha” has to do with the context being provided to platform behind the scenes. Many tools seem to be overly reliant on the content of job descriptions (which as you know often need improving!) to facilitate generative ai conversations and matching.
Those that bring in more context about the company, the hiring manager, values, needed skills, etc. stood out from the rest. Which makes sense – humans also make better decisions and have higher quality conversations when given the proper context!”
Other HR Tech 2025 Nuggets from my Linkedin Feed
- Benjamin Langner said day one was all about “humans + AI side by side.” Day two? A wake-up call about breaking out of the status quo. Powerful stuff.
- Stefanie Coleman loved the innovation but cautioned: “The challenge is having too much choice, with endless possibility.” Choice fatigue is real.
- Matthew Bigelow heard the same line from multiple people: “No one is doing anything like this.” Vendors building AI workers instead of tools for workers got noticed.
- Lorna Erickson reminded us all that energy matters as much as the words on a panel. Her pre-talk ritual? Dancing around the room to get the vibe right. (Honestly? Love it.)
What It All Adds Up To
From my seat watching the LinkedIn chatter, the biggest themes were:
- AI everywhere, but skepticism remains high
- More tech doesn’t mean better results
- The need for real context and smarter integration
- And always, always: community still matters most
I might not have been there in person, but thanks to the generous pros who replied and posted on LinkedIn, I still walked away with something valuable.
Why I Wrote This
At Ongig, we stay plugged into HR tech because our customers live in this space every day. Whether you’re fighting noisy AI vendors or trying to make your job descriptions actually work, Ongig is here to help.
Request a demo to see how we can help you write better JDs, integrate across your stack, and cut through the HR tech noise.
FAQs
What is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI refers to tools that can act semi-independently (like agents) rather than just following scripts. But the buzzword is running wild.
What should TA leaders focus on post-HR Tech 2025?
Training teams on how to ask better questions, vet vendors, and integrate tools with context—not just content.
Is legacy HR tech dying?
Not dying, but definitely being challenged. New players are faster and more context-aware. Legacy tools will need to evolve fast.
How do you know if an AI recruiting tool is good?
Ask how it incorporates company context, not just job description text. And ask for proof it improves quality-of-hire or reduces time-to-fill.
How can Ongig help?
We make job description software that’s built for this new world—AI-ready, readable, and always context-smart.
