Many workplaces are only just beginning to use generative artificial intelligence

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Centre for Occupational Safety media release, 12 February 2025

The Occupational Safety and Health Panel is an annual questionnaire survey by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the Centre for Occupational Safety. The most recent survey was carried out in November–December 2024. The theme of the survey was generative artificial intelligence in workplaces. Generative AI is a form of artificial intelligence that focuses specifically on producing data and content.

"Based on the results, generative artificial intelligence is currently not widely considered to be an occupational safety matter or a solution for following up on occupational safety. The occupational safety perspective has perhaps been more involved in the deployment of other AI-based technologies, such as robots," says Hanna Uusitalo, Senior Specialist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. 

Only a few organisations have an artificial intelligence strategy

Only five per cent of the respondents to the Occupational Safety and Health Panel estimated that they work at a pioneering workplace that already makes extensive use of generative AI applications. Less than a third (29%) of the workplaces actively monitored developments and made use of various applications to some extent. 

"There was quite a large difference between the private sector and other sectors: more than a third (36%) of respondents in the private sector rated their own workplace as a pioneer or actively following development and using artificial intelligence to some extent. In other sectors, the corresponding share was 23 per cent," says Hanna Uusitalo.

"In addition, a total of 17 per cent of private sector respondents reported that their workplace has an artificial intelligence strategy. In other sectors, the corresponding figure was two per cent," Uusitalo continues. 

Especially useful for information retrieval and processing

Individual employees most commonly use applications based on generative AI to support their own work (62%). 

The most common reasons for deploying artificial intelligence were:

• desire to keep up with technological developments (47%)
• desire to develop and try new operating methods (46%)
• streamlining work (44%)
• cutting back on routine tasks (43%).

Beneficial use of artificial intelligence was most often assessed to relate to the following:

• information retrieval (34%)
• information processing (e.g. drafting, summarising) (31%)
• customer service (e.g. chat bot) (14%)
• product and service development (13%) and
• supporting business processes (11%).

Some respondents (8%) reported that the use of artificial intelligence had been taken into account in a risk assessment. The most commonly identified occupational safety risks related to generative artificial intelligence were the reliability of information and incorrect information, such as work instructions prepared using artificial intelligence and the use and sharing of incorrect and unverified information produced with artificial intelligence. Incompetence in the utilisation of artificial intelligence was also mentioned as a risk. 

Little engagement of personnel in deployment

Approximately one fifth of the respondents reported that safe artificial intelligence applications have been offered to employees (21%), but only a few workplaces had involved employees in considering the deployment of artificial intelligence (13%).  The results of the Occupational Safety and Health Panel also indicate that there have been very few measures related to generative artificial intelligence in workplaces for fostering personnel participation and competence.  

"Unfortunately, it seems that few workplaces have provided personnel training and instruction, reserved time for training in the use of AI applications and monitored the impacts that the introduction of these applications have on work and operations. Nonetheless, nearly one in four (23%) respondents considered that the development of generative artificial intelligence has increased the need for personnel competence development," says Mikko Kuivalainen, Communications and Sustainability Director of the Centre for Occupational Safety.

When assessing the impacts of artificial intelligence, more than one in ten respondentsi felt that it had positively impacted the operations of their workplace: artificial intelligence had improved the efficiency (14%) and quality (11%) of work. On the other hand, just as many estimate that artificial intelligence has created a need for new talent (11%) and aroused fears among employees (11%). However, as a rule, respondents estimated that the overall impact of artificial intelligence remained very small at their workplace. 

At most workplaces, the ICT team and the management/executive team were responsible for the development of the use of artificial intelligence. However, quite many of the respondents also felt that no one was responsible for the development or that there was no designated party.

Read more about the results in the Work-Life Knowledge service

• Occupational safety and health and artificial intelligence | Work-life knowledge service | www.worklifedata.fi

Learn more about the Occupational Safety and Health Panel

• The Occupational Safety and Health Panel is a questionnaire survey, implemented annually by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the Centre for Occupational Safety, for occupational safety and health personnel.
• The panel collects information about the occupational safety and health needs identified in workplaces and the impacts societal phenomena have on everyday work.
• The most recent survey was carried out in November–December 2024. The survey was sent to the occupational safety representatives and managers collected from the Occupational Safety and Health Personnel Register, of whom 255 persons responded.
• Occupational safety and health panel provides current information | Work-life knowledge service | www.worklifedata.fi

Further information

• Hanna Uusitalo, Senior Specialist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. +358 (0)43 824 0034, hanna.uusitalo@ttl.fi
• Mikko Kuivalainen, Communications and Sustainability Director, Centre for Occupational Safety, tel. +358 (0)44 502 4080, mikko.kuivalainen@ttk.fi