A new survey from workforce solutions provider TrueBlue highlights a growing willingness among temporary workers to use AI-powered job search tools, while underscoring the continued importance of transparency, trust, and personal interaction throughout the hiring process.
The results, published through TrueBlue’s staffing brand PeopleReady, come from the People Pulse Spring 2026 survey, which collected answers from more than 1,200 temporary workers in the United States. The study looked at the workers’ attitudes towards the growing use of artificial intelligence in staffing and recruitment.
Most temporary workers find the benefits that AI can bring to the job search experience, e.g. helping candidates locate compatible jobs faster. Still, they made it clear that technology alone cannot do everything. Human assistance, frank talk, and get-paid-on-time are some of the highly valued features of working with staffing providers.
“As AI continues to reshape how work gets done, it’s encouraging to see these findings reinforce what matters most to workers speed, transparency, and human connection,” said Taryn Owen, President and CEO of TrueBlue. “Our approach has been to use technology to enhance not replace the human experience. By combining digital innovation with deep local expertise, we’re delivering faster, more transparent connections between people and work while maintaining the trust workers and businesses expect.”
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The survey revealed that only 3% of respondents preferred receiving job-related communication exclusively through AI. Most preferred direct human interaction or a mix of human and AI support. Approximately 80% of workers were ready for AI-assisted job matching; Still, a lot of them still wanted to see all opportunities themselves rather than only according to recommendations made by algorithms.
People generally are still wary of AI. Over 50% of the participants mentioned being OK with an AI assistant when looking for jobs, but only 14% said they truly trusted AI for that purpose. Getting a job more quickly is the biggest perk attributed to AI, with the potential for helping make the hiring process more unbiased being the second most popular one.
“Temporary workers value technology that helps them connect with jobs more quickly, but human connection remains imperative to the experience,” said Mike Kruszewski, President of PeopleReady On-Demand. “Our local teams play a key role in understanding the needs of both workers and customers providing guidance, support, and trusted relationships in every market we serve. By combining our JobStack technology with the expertise of our local teams, we’re able to create more meaningful opportunities for workers while helping customers maintain a reliable workforce and achieve lasting results.”
The results suggest that as AI becomes more integrated into staffing, workers are looking for a balanced approach that combines technological efficiency with the trust and support that human relationships provide.
