Safety professionals warn of AI over-reliance risk as adoption accelerates

Health and safety training provider, Astutis, has published its 2026 Learner Report, which reveals UK workplaces are now entering a critical transition period as AI begins to shape health and safety.

The survey, taken by professionals in multiple health and safety industries, reveals that nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of health and safety professionals believe that AI will play a significant role in workplace safety over the next five years.

However, adoption of AI remains limited, with only one in 10 saying they actively use AI, a third (32 per cent) of people considering using AI in future and three in 10 (29 per cent) only at pilot stage, highlighting widespread hesitation.

When it comes to HSE professionals’ thoughts on bringing AI into health and safety, over two fifths (44 per cent) say that they’re excited to bring this into the workplace, but remain cautious.

At the same time, readiness is a huge barrier, with over four fifths (84 per cent) of respondents said they either lack the skills to use AI effectively in the workplace, or would require additional training. 

However, when referring to training budgets in the HSE industry, almost two in five (38 per cent) of respondents say that their training budget isn’t enough.

Almost two in five (38 per cent) of respondents also say that AI and tech integration is the most important area for businesses and employees in the next 3-5 years, followed closely by mental health psychological risk management (32.63 per cent).

Beyond AI, the research highlights broader pressures facing safety teams. Employee engagement was cited as one of the biggest challenges to effective training, while mental health has emerged as a key priority area for the future, reflecting a shift in how organisations define workplace safety.

According to the 2026 Learner Report, three in five (60%) of employers say that they’re worried about over-reliance on technology vs human judgement. This is the biggest concern, followed by the lack of understanding which was the top concern for one in eight employers (12%).

Brenig Moore, Technical Director and H&S expert at Astutis, said: “Artificial Intelligence has the potential to hugely improve workplace safety. However, what’s important to remember is that it is not a substitute for human judgement.

“The real risk to businesses is not the technology itself, but how it’s used. Businesses need to ensure that as they adopt new tools, they’re also putting budget aside to invest in the training and governance needed to use these new tools responsibly, limiting the amount of injuries in the workplace.

“What our Learner Report shows is a gap between ambition and readiness, with organisations knowing exactly what the opportunity that AI presents, but many not equipped to implement this safely just yet.”

The findings highlight a clear challenge for UK businesses: balancing innovation with responsibility as AI becomes an increasingly central part of workplace safety strategies.

When presented with the question, “in five years’ time, how significant do you think AI’s role will be in health and safety management?”over half (57%) said that it will be significant, a major tool among the traditional methods.

To view the 2026 Learner Report from Astutis click here.