EHS Professionals Embrace AI as a Tool for Precision, Not Replacement

A new VelocityEHS survey finds most EHS professionals view AI as a tool to boost accuracy and efficiency—not replace human expertise. While optimism is strong, many remain cautious about data quality and overreliance on technology.

• By Rick Barker, Jennifer Sinkwitts
• Nov 14, 2025

Survey data shows that EHS professionals are more likely to see AI as a practical tool, and less as a threat.  They see the potential to improve accuracy, efficiency, and insight as the most beneficial aspects of AI, while maintaining awareness about the risks associated with data integrity and overreliance on technology.

A New Perspective on AI in Safety

Artificial intelligence dominates headlines across nearly every industry, often framed around job loss, ethics, and machines replacing human judgment. But in environmental, health, and safety (EHS), the story is different.

At several major 2025 trade shows, VelocityEHS gathered anonymous input from more than 150 EHS professionals, generating over 750 individual responses about AI’s role in their work. The results reveal an industry open to innovation, thoughtful about its implications, and less worried about being replaced.

The survey was comprised of nine questions, ranging from “What benefits influence you most in implementing an AI solution?” to “What concerns you most about implementing AI?” and “What is one thing you would like to understand better about AI?” Participants also provided dozens of open-ended responses.

And here’s a standout finding about the so-called elephant in the room: at least in this case, no participants expressed fear of losing their jobs. Instead, respondents focused on practical challenges, such as how to use AI effectively, interpret its output, and ensure the technology strengthens not replaces human expertise.

How EHS Professionals See AI

When asked to rate their organization’s approach to using AI for EHS, 60% described it as favorable or highly favorable. About 25% were neutral, and 15% expressed concern. Those who viewed AI positively cited its ability to save time, improve accuracy, and reduce repetitive administrative work. Many also noted its potential to uncover patterns in large datasets, predict incidents earlier, and support training and upskilling.

Even the most enthusiastic respondents, however: shared a note of caution. While they trust AI’s potential to improve precision, they worry about how that accuracy is achieved — whether the algorithms understand context, whether the data is trustworthy, and how insights might be interpreted. Concerns around privacy, data security, and overreliance also surfaced, reinforcing that

EHS professionals see AI as a tool to enhance human judgment, not replace it.

The bottom line: AI’s power is only as strong as the data, context, and human expertise behind it.

A Shift in the Conversation

Rather than fixating on the fear that AI will replace them, the respondents were more interested in learning how AI can help them.

This perspective marks an important evolution in the field. For decades, EHS success has relied on human observation, scientific context, critical thinking because of foundational learnings, and domain expertise that no algorithm can replicate. Now, AI is helping extend those capabilities and amplify the professionals who use it. From hazard identification to control selection and verification, what has changed is the pace and precision of the work. AI enables professionals to analyze far greater volumes of information and detect risks earlier, helping them focus where it matters most: preventing harm.

Innovation in Action

Recent advancements in EHS technology reflect this evolution. VelocityEHS has introduced several tools designed to enhance accuracy and decision-making without removing professionals from the human-in-the-loop process:

• VelocityAI: a purpose-built engine trained on verified EHS data to deliver context-specific insights.
• Vēlo: an in-platform AI assistant that helps analyze incidents, complete risk assessments, and interpret data in real time.
• AI Hazard Analyzer and AI Controls Recommendations: strengthens job safety analysis by automatically assessing the quality of job descriptions and recommended improvements, flagging hazards, suggesting tailored controls.
• AI Description Analyzer, AI Root Cause Identifier, and AI Action Advisor: help organizations detect incident hazards, uncover root causes, and take smarter, faster corrective action.

These innovations mirror what EHS professionals say they want most: faster, more consistent access to meaningful insight while maintaining human oversight.

From Data Overload to Real-World Impact

When asked what they most want to learn about AI, respondents focused on two things: how to interpret AI-generated data and how to apply it in real-world EHS scenarios.

That curiosity highlights one of today’s biggest challenges: turning data into decisions. Safety professionals are surrounded by dashboards and reports but often lack tools to translate that information into action.

AI can bridge that gap. Real-world success stories illustrate this:

• Hitachi Energy implemented AI-powered 3D Motion Capture for Ergonomics to identify high-strain postures that posed the greatest risk of musculoskeletal disorder injuries. By redesigning workstations based on the insights gleaned from AI, the company reduced its neck, back, and shoulder injuries by 95 percent within two years.
• AGCO Corporation, using similar technology, achieved a 50 percent reduction in Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) across its South America operations.

These examples show AI’s promise when it augments, not replaces, human skill.

The Human-Led Future of AI in Safety

EHS leaders see tremendous potential in AI but remain cautious about overconfidence. The consensus emerging across industries is clear: human-led AI — technology built and guided by domain experts — is the most trusted path forward.

The future is not distant; it's already here. The technologies safety professionals say they need most are arriving now and reshaping how we anticipate and prevent risk.

The Bottom Line

AI in EHS is moving beyond speculation to an ethical responsibility for how safety is practiced. The goal is to empower people to make faster, smarter decisions, and ultimately save lives.