What Safety Leaders Are Really Thinking In 2026

As organizations try to navigate where AI fits into their operations, EHS teams find themselves caught between optimism, scepticism and the daily realities of keeping people safe. During a Verdantix Safety Council Roundtable on February 4, 2026, 11 EHS leaders from multiple industries compared their experiences piloting AI, securing investment, navigating vendor relationships and confronting data governance challenges. Their insights reveal a sector that sees enormous potential, yet remains cautious and grounded in operational truth. Safety council discussions revealed:

Shared challenges in proving AI’s real impact
One message cut through clearly during the Safety Council discussion on piloting AI: AI readiness varies dramatically across organizations, yet the barriers to adoption sound strikingly similar. Some firms approach with caution, held back by limited capacity or a lack of software readiness. Others are thoughtfully exploring use cases, beginning to rewrite policies and standards to embed AI governance. At the more advanced end of the spectrum, organizations are already deploying AI across security, analytics and fleet telematics. Together, the room reflected a microcosm of the wider EHS industry, where maturity spans from first steps to full-scale adoption.

Despite these differing levels of readiness, the sticking points of adoption resonated across every organization. Safety teams are competing for investment in a landscape where AI is expected to deliver revenue growth, not just safer operations. They face mounting pressure to prove return on investment, stretch tight budgets, and navigate constant concerns around data privacy and exposure risk. Despite differing maturity levels, organizations face a shared challenge: turning AI’s promise into proven outcomes while protecting trust, security and safety.

Flat budgets colliding with rising expectations
Council members hammered home that budget pressure remains intense across EHS functions. After significant investment strategies in 2025, some firms are flat-lining EHS spending in 2026. Rather than funding new initiatives, leaders are doubling down on the fundamentals, prioritizing stronger reporting systems, deeper leadership engagement, and sustained investment in competency building and training.

AI sits uncomfortably in the middle of this equation. Some council members remain unconvinced by the current capabilities of AI in safety, citing a lack of proven value. Others shared tangible success stories, where AI has reduced reporting burdens and freed up time for teams in the field.

Workforce turnover further complicates the picture. As experienced employees exit and new hires cycle in, many organizations are prioritizing global consistency and strengthening core platforms before attempting to scale more advanced solutions. In some cases, understaffing is even pushing teams towards AI out of necessity, using it to keep pace with workload rather than drive innovation. These pressures are forcing a more pragmatic approach, where investment decisions favour resilience and consistency first, and innovation must earn its place.

Vendor promises lacking transparency
If one theme dominated the conversation, it was frustration with the gap between vendor promise and practical execution. Safety leaders noted that many EHS software tools that impress in polished demos then fall flat in real operations. EHS professionals desire stronger long-term vendor partnerships and day‑to‑day customer care.

That gap feels even more pronounced when AI enters the picture. Some council members observed that, while AI capabilities are often positioned strongly in marketing and webinars, the practical reality can involve additional configuration effort or more limited results. This can also be compounded with a disconnect between vendor sales and implementation teams, and limited understanding of industry realities.

The sentiment across the room was clear – procuring a tool is often the straightforward part. Integrating it into daily operations, and working with a vendor who remains engaged beyond the contract signature, is where the real work begins.

Privacy risks and data quality issues moving to the forefront
AI is forcing EHS teams to confront longstanding data issues. Leaders acknowledged that privacy concerns, inconsistent data quality and cross‑regional regulatory differences take centre stage once AI enters the conversation. As these issues surface, IT involvement is increasing across organizations. Some firms remain in the early stages, with IT leading discussions, while others described growing collaboration between EHS and IT teams. This convergence is not a temporary shift – it is set to accelerate as AI becomes more embedded in EHS operations.

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