AI adoption is becoming mainstream in EHS, but process digitalization gaps continue to limit broader deployment

New analysis from The Safety Shift: EHS Readiness in 2026, a Wolters Kluwer Enablon and National Safety Council research report, finds U.S. organizations are prioritizing data quality, governance, and digital capabilities needed to scale AI

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wolters Kluwer Enablon today released additional analysis from The Safety Shift: EHS Readiness in 2026, finding that AI adoption is now mainstream across environment, health and safety (EHS) programs. However, many organizations continue to face digitalization, data quality, and governance challenges that will limit broader AI deployment.

Conducted in early 2026 in partnership with the National Safety Council (NSC), the research surveyed 1,053 senior safety leaders and professionals in the United States. The additional analysis examines AI adoption across industries and the relationship between EHS digitalization, AI readiness and barriers to broader adoption.

Key findings include:

• AI adoption has become widespread across EHS programs. Eighty-two percent of organizations report some level of AI use, including 20% reporting extensive integration and 62% reporting moderate or limited use. Only 2% report no current AI use.
• Digital maturity is closely linked to AI readiness. Organizations reporting higher levels of AI readiness are more likely to have digitalized key EHS processes, including safety inspections, hazard identification, incident reporting, emergency response, and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) management.
• The challenge is to scale rather than introduce AI. While awareness and interest are widespread, organizations are focused on expanding AI across EHS processes and operationalizing it at scale.
• Digitalization progress remains uneven. Safety data sheet (SDS) management, safety inspections, and compliance tracking are among the most digitalized EHS processes, while occupational health monitoring and behavior-based safety activities continue to lag.
• Structural barriers outweigh cultural barriers. Data security and privacy concerns, technical expertise gaps, legacy systems, and budget constraints are more frequently cited obstacles than resistance to change or leadership buy-in.

“Organizations are moving beyond asking whether AI has a role in EHS," said Raj Jayaraman, Vice President, Product Management, Wolters Kluwer Enablon. "The challenge now is to build the data quality, governance, and digital foundations needed to responsibly scale AI and deliver meaningful safety and operational outcomes.”

Deeper analysis also highlights notable differences across industries. In pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations, for example, 52% of respondents report EHS processes are mostly or fully digitalized, compared with an average of 45% across all other organizations surveyed. Even in more digitally advanced sectors, significant opportunities remain to digitalize operational and people-centered safety processes.

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