Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Software used by employers to manage job applications, track candidates through the hiring pipeline, and organize recruitment workflows.
What Is Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is the central software platform that employers use to receive, store, and manage job applications. Modern ATS platforms increasingly embed AI capabilities such as resume parsing, candidate ranking, automated screening questions, and match scoring. When an ATS uses AI to filter, score, or rank candidates, those features may qualify as automated employment decision tools (AEDTs) under regulations like NYC Local Law 144. This means employers must audit the AI components of their ATS for bias, even if the ATS vendor markets the product as a general-purpose recruitment tool rather than an AI product. Common ATS platforms with embedded AI include Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, iCIMS, and Taleo. Employers should work with their ATS vendor to understand which features use AI and whether those features influence selection decisions.
Related Terms
Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT)
Any computational process that uses machine learning, statistical modeling, or data analytics to substantially assist or replace human decision-making in employment.
Read moreBias Audit
An impartial evaluation of an AI hiring tool to assess whether it produces discriminatory outcomes across protected groups.
Read moreResume Screening
The process of evaluating and filtering job applications, increasingly performed by AI tools that parse, score, and rank resumes automatically.
Read moreCandidate Scoring
The process of assigning numerical scores to job candidates based on AI evaluation of their qualifications, assessments, or interview performance.
Read moreReady to Audit Your AI Hiring Tools?
Get your compliance report in minutes. No consulting engagement needed.
Start Your Free Audit