New Survey from Wolters Kluwer unveils AI adoption and investment trends in EHS

Wolters Kluwer, a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services, has released compelling survey findings on the adoption and investment intentions for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) management. The survey reveals that 49% of EHS functions plan to invest in AI within the next 12 months, and 77% prioritize AI skills when hiring.

Richard Pulliam, SVP and General Manager of Wolters Kluwer EHS & ESG, said:
“AI promises to revolutionize EHS by enabling leaders to collect data, and then interpret, plan, predict and act with unprecedented speed, accuracy, and efficiency. With nearly half of EHS teams planning to invest in AI in the coming year, the ability to collect high-quality data from across the enterprise will be crucial to optimizing this potential. We are deeply committed to driving innovation and providing game-changing technologies to ensure EHS teams are future-ready.”

Key findings include:

Playing catch up? EHS teams have been slower to adopt AI

• Only 28% of EHS practitioners reported that their EHS function currently employs AI.
• This contrasts with the broader business landscape, as 62% of respondents indicated that AI adoption in their EHS function was lower than in other areas within the same business.

Seizing the potential: EHS teams are investing in AI (but need budget clarity)

• 49% of EHS practitioners reported that they had active plans to invest in AI in the next 12 months. Only 13% of EHS practitioners indicated that there were no plans to invest in the transformative technology.
• However, 38% of respondents were unsure about their function’s AI investment plans, suggesting a need for clearer communication regarding available AI tools, technology budgets and investment intentions.

Optimizing the technology: AI skills are a growing priority for EHS teams

• AI skills in EHS functions remain relatively low, with 25% of practitioners having no AI skills or experience and 61% identifying as beginners.
• However, 50% of EHS functions have either received AI training or plan to do so, highlighting the growing importance of building AI skills.
• Notably, 77% of respondents place some level of importance on AI skills when recruiting, indicating a dual approach of training and hiring to build AI capabilities.

The survey was conducted with 162 EHS professionals at the Wolters Kluwer Sustainable Performance Forum (SPF) 2025. The findings underscore the growing recognition of AI’s potential in enhancing EHS management and the need for targeted investments and skill development in this area. As companies navigate the complexities of EHS, AI offers promising solutions to improve efficiency, safety, and compliance.