Episode 119 - AI in Staffing: What Top Agencies Know About Automation, Agentic AI and Scaling Faster

What does AI actually mean for staffing agencies right now?

In this episode of Talent Titans, host Suky Sodhi brings together a powerhouse panel ahead of the Canadian Staffing Summit including Kelsey Burt, Bill Boorman, Mike Wolford, and Sabashan Ragavan to unpack one of the biggest shifts in the recruiting industry: the move from basic automation to agentic AI.

This conversation goes far beyond surface-level AI hype. The panel digs into the real questions agency owners are asking: What's the difference between automation and agentic AI? Should firms build their own AI tools or buy proven platforms? How can smaller agencies compete with larger players? And what does the recruiter's role look like as AI takes over more of the manual work?

You'll hear each panelists thoughts on AI adoption, workflow strategy, recruiter enablement, candidate engagement, interviewing at scale, and why the firms that win next won't just use more tools, they'll use smarter systems. The discussion also highlights a major shift in the staffing business: moving from relying on headcount for growth to using AI to create scale, speed, and better outcomes.

Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now

Key Moments:

00:00 Sponsor Message
01:49 Meet The Panelists
04:21 Agentic AI Mindset Shift
08:10 AI Process Management Jobs
10:41 Humans And Agents In Harmony
18:16 Small Agency Scale Advantage
25:05 Why Agencies Hesitate
27:23 Human Touch With AI
28:28 AI Workflows As Assets
30:44 Mass Customization Era
32:15 Agent Scale Case Study
39:37 Build Versus Buy Debate
46:42 Get Your Tickets And Wrap Up

Favorite Quote:

"Small agencies should actually be more excited about this than the enterprise, because your capability for scale is becoming possible."

Bill Boorman

Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:

Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74

Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0

Connect with Suky:

Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk

Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.

She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:

🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit

🔹 Talent Titans Podcast

🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum

For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.

But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.

She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.

Her work sits at the intersection of:

People + Performance

Tech + Disruption

Strategy + Soul

Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:

Suky backs those who build.

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"

Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.