We’re delighted to announce that Katharine Robinson, Executive Research Lead at The Thrive Team, has been featured in the latest issue of Recruiter magazine (Nov/Dec 2025).
The article, titled “Digital Hunters,” explores whether artificial intelligence poses a threat to sourcers or provides support to the art of sourcing itself. As one of the UK’s leading sourcing experts, Katharine offers a valuable perspective on this industry-defining question.
AI as a tool, not replacement
In the feature, which runs from pages 25-29, Katharine discusses how AI has become a valuable “jumping-off point and conversation starter” in her work. She describes how tools like Microsoft Copilot can now generate company lists and research that previously consumed significant time:
“Now, I can open up Microsoft Excel, and Copilot will put a list of companies that do XYZ in this location with key dates and some info around what they’re doing, straight into a spreadsheet for me – and that’s saved me X amount of time.“
However, she’s quick to note that while AI excels at initial research, it’s not yet sophisticated enough to replace experienced sourcers entirely.
The human edge in sourcing
When it comes to using large language models to write Boolean search strings, Katharine acknowledges benefits but maintains a healthy scepticism:
“I was expecting it to be more cerebral with what comes back. It puts in the keywords, it writes the Boolean string – if that’s how the tool takes queries – or it selects the filters based on what I’ve asked for. Sometimes it’ll think of a word or synonym I haven’t thought of, which is good. But then it sometimes gives me this completely bloated search and I think: ‘Well, a lot of this is completely unnecessary’.”
She raises a critical question that many in the industry are grappling with, for someone new to recruitment who has never run a search before, AI can provide results quickly, but how do they evaluate the quality of what’s returned? “How do you actually judge what the AI brings back? How do you know what’s missing?”
Award-winning expertise
Katharine’s insights carry particular weight in the industry. In 2024, she won the SourceCon Hackathon annual sourcing competition for the second time, having first claimed victory in the Grandmaster Sourcer competition back in 2010, cementing her reputation as one of the UK’s foremost sourcers across a 15-year span.
Her expertise combines deep technical knowledge of sourcing techniques with a commitment to thoroughness that AI has yet to replicate:
“When it comes to the real nuts and bolts of being thorough, I’m still a little of the view ‘Why am I entrusting this to a hallucinating chatbot, when I could just do it better myself?'”
Reflecting on her 2010 win, Katharine noted: “What gave me the edge? Networking. While I was solving clues, I talked to other attendees, bouncing ideas around and picking up useful hints. That’s what ultimately led me to victory. The more sourcing changes, the more it stays the same. New tools and tactics come and go but, at its core, great sourcing is still about talking to people, collaborating, and being curious.”
The future of sourcing is partnership
The article explores the broader theme of how AI is changing sourcing across the industry. While concerns about “safe sourcing” and reduced interest in learning traditional sourcing techniques are real, the consensus among experts like Katharine is clear that AI is a powerful tool that amplifies human capability rather than replacing it.
At The Thrive Team, we’re proud to have Katharine’s expertise as part of our search services. Her combination of traditional sourcing excellence with pragmatic adoption of new technologies represents exactly the kind of balanced approach that delivers results for our clients.
Our approach
The Thrive Team combines specialist recruitment with people development services. Our executive search practice, led by experts like Katharine, focuses on placing senior leadership talent in roles where they can make meaningful impact while thriving personally.
To learn more about how our search services can help you find exceptional talent, contact us today.
