Remote HR team uses Claude AI to build its own ATS, processes 24,000 job applications

Remote, the global payroll and Employer of Record (EOR) platform, has used artificial intelligence tools from Anthropic, including Claude and Claude Code, to build an in-house applicant tracking system (ATS), which has already processed more than 24,000 applications and candidate records.

The project was developed by Remote's people team, including recruiters and employees without traditional software engineering backgrounds. The initiative forms part of a wider effort to replace third-party HR software with internally developed applications.

According to an interview with Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer (CPO) at Remote, published by HR Brew, the project began after founder Job van der Voort challenged her to build an ATS using AI during a team off-site in January.

What started as an experiment in building a CV screening application subsequently developed into a broader internal technology initiative, with the HR team taking responsibility for developing tools traditionally sourced from external vendors.

How a challenge turned into an AI-led HR project

The initial exercise involved Matthews and van der Voort attempting to develop an internal CV screening tool. Matthews initially expected the task to be complicated and time-consuming, given the technical requirements involved in building recruitment software.

Van der Voort subsequently found a way to code the application, prompting a larger experiment around developing Remote's internal technology stack.

"We really are pushing the cultural message of 'we are all builders.' It's not just this team, and it's not just that team," Matthews told HR Brew.

The initiative gained momentum as Remote reconsidered its approach to internal HR technology. In March, the company changed its product and sales strategy, moving away from developing a broader human resource information system (HRIS) and refocusing on its core global payroll and employment services business.

With the product and engineering teams concentrating on global payroll and Employer of Record services, the people team took responsibility for developing its own HR applications.

Recruiters and HR employees built the applicant tracking system

Before the initiative, Remote relied on external providers for recruitment software, other hiring tools and employee engagement applications.

Matthews told HR Brew she informed her team that the company would not renew several third-party software contracts and gave employees the remainder of the year to develop internal alternatives.

Claude and Claude Code became central to the exercise, enabling employees without formal engineering backgrounds to work on applications and develop software components.

The ATS was built collaboratively, with different members taking responsibility for individual features.

The development team included:

• Three recruiters, who contributed to the recruitment technology project.

• One sourcer, who worked on the application.

• Matthews's executive assistant, who participated in building the system.

• A people transformation specialist, described by Matthews as the technology-focused member of her team.

Employees divided the work across different components, including résumé screening and an application connecting job codes with job descriptions.

The project was developed alongside employees' regular responsibilities, with team members continuing their existing work while contributing to the internal software initiative.

Matthews initially allowed employees considerable freedom to experiment, even when different people developed overlapping features. She later introduced more structure as the initiative progressed.

Remote's internal ATS has processed 24,000 applications

Remote launched its internally developed ATS in October 2026. According to Matthews, the platform has since handled more than 24,000 applications and candidate records, including migrated records from its previous recruitment system and new applications.

She told HR Brew that the platform received 7,000 new applications in a single week.

The company had also made six hires through the system at the time of the interview.

The early usage figures provide an indication of the scale at which the internal recruitment platform is being used. However, the 24,000 figure includes both migrated applications and newly received applications, rather than representing 24,000 new applicants.

The system remains under development, with employees using an internal feedback channel to report bugs, suggest features and request improvements.

"People submit feedback: 'Oh, we could have made this,' or 'I noticed a bug here,' and so the team [is] actively fixing the bugs and making improvements and add-ons on a daily basis," Matthews said.

The approach allows the people team to continue modifying the application based on feedback from its users rather than treating the initial launch as the final version.

From recruitment software to a wider internal HR technology stack

Remote's AI development initiative has extended beyond its applicant tracking system, with the people team working on several other applications.

Matthews told HR Brew that the team had moved from using ChatGPT for summarisation in the first quarter of 2026 to developing multiple internal applications by October.

The company's internal HR technology projects include:

• Learning management system: Remote completed an internally developed LMS in June.

• Compensation tool: The team is working on an application focused on compensation.

• 360-degree feedback tool: The company has developed an internal application for 360-degree feedback.

• Engagement surveys: The team has also coded its own employee engagement surveying application.

The projects reflect Remote's effort to develop applications around its internal requirements rather than depend entirely on external software providers.

Remote uses weekly 'crit labs' to improve AI-built applications

Alongside the technical development, Matthews has introduced a collaborative review process called 'crit labs', where employees meet weekly to demonstrate their work, exchange feedback and discuss development challenges.

The sessions provide a platform for employees to present unfinished applications, identify technical roadblocks and seek assistance from colleagues.

Matthews told HR Brew that some employees initially moved questions into private channels because they felt uncomfortable sharing problems publicly. She encouraged them to bring those discussions back into open forums so colleagues could learn from the challenges.

The process also allows employees to share successful experiments and identify areas where applications need further development.

Remote's experience illustrates how generative AI coding tools can enable employees outside traditional engineering functions to participate in software development. The company's next challenge will be to refine its internally built applications, strengthen development controls and maintain their functionality as employee usage grows.