Udder was proud to be the headlining sponsor of Talent Tech Rising, held on 27 November at Picturehouse Central in London. This year’s TTR offered a clear, grounded view of how artificial intelligence is actively reshaping the HR and talent acquisition landscape. Adding to this, three Udder herdsman - Ella McEwan, Martina Ulecia, and Mat Michta - took to the stage as hosts, facilitating live demos and discussions across all three stages, helping guide attendees through some of the most innovative HR technologies on the market today. Talent Tech Rising showcased this evolution in action, bringing together vendors, TA leaders, and HR professionals to explore what meaningful, responsible AI adoption really looks like.
Artificial intelligence has moved decisively beyond experimentation in HR. What was once framed as a future-state ambition is now embedded in how organisations attract talent, screen candidates, shape candidate experience, and make smarter hiring decisions. Across the industry, AI-driven HR solutions are increasingly focused on solving real operational challenges: high-volume hiring, hard-to-fill roles, skills-based recruitment, and inconsistent candidate journeys. Rather than existing as standalone tools, the most effective technologies are designed to integrate into existing HR ecosystems, enhancing recruiter capability rather than replacing it.
Several clear themes emerged during the demos, namely:
The event’s cinema-style format proved to be a standout. Each vendor was given exactly 10 minutes on stage, which we felt was a refreshingly focused approach that cut through feature overload and forced presenters to clearly articulate value, outcomes, and real-world application. The result was a fast-paced, high-signal experience that resonated strongly with attendees.
Ella McEwan reflected on hosting as a chance to explore technologies that are genuinely changing how organisations think about attraction and candidate experience. Gaia stood out for its smart use of social platforms to reach the right candidates efficiently, offering a lower cost per hire than traditional job boards and clear value for high-volume or local roles.
Inploi also impressed with the level of control it gives employers to shape their own candidate journeys. Its self-serve, highly customisable approach allows organisations to design experiences that truly reflect their brand and values, rather than being constrained by rigid ATS workflows.
Mat Michta came away energised by the scale and sophistication of innovation on display. As AI solutions continue to evolve, their ability to transform recruitment strategy, improve hiring speed, and enable skills-based decision-making is becoming increasingly tangible.
What stood out most was the opportunity for vendors to better tell the story behind the technology. The strongest presentations weren’t just feature-led; they articulated a clear vision of AI as a core component of talent strategy. The future lies in AI that enhances decision-making and delivers measurable value within existing workflows — not as an add-on, but as a fundamental capability.
For Martina Ulecia, seeing firsthand how AI is being applied across the recruitment lifecycle was exciting. In her view, the focused demo format allowed each technology solution to clearly demonstrate relevance and impact.
Highlights included:
Across all three stages, a consistent message emerged: AI in recruitment has moved from optional to essential. The most successful solutions balance efficiency with fairness, transparency, and candidate experience. Rather than replacing human judgment, AI is handling repetitive tasks and surfacing better insights — allowing recruiters to focus on relationships, strategy, and impact.
Talent Tech Rising reinforced the importance of thoughtful technology adoption and meaningful conversations around how AI fits into real hiring challenges. The innovation is already here. The next step is ensuring it’s applied with clarity, responsibility, and purpose.
For more insights on TTR, check out The Churn by our Co-founder Alan Walker.