More than half of small business leaders believe artificial intelligence will play a “crucial role” in worker safety over the next five years, according to a new report from Pie Insurance.
A survey of decision-makers from just over a thousand small businesses found that 64% of leaders are bullish about AI’s role in workplace safety in the near future. The survey found 81% of those businesses are open to incorporating AI into daily operations and that 44% actively use AI today.
“If you think about it, small businesses, in particular, don’t have the safety resources that large companies have,” said Carla Woodard, SVP of claims at Pie, an insurtech specializing in commercial insurance for small businesses. “AI can definitely help them proactively identify and address those risks.”
Pie found that of the small businesses using AI, 97% reported increased operational efficiency and 73% experienced improved workplace safety. Pie did not collect specific examples of the kinds of AI products currently tapped by these businesses.
Woodard said tools like ChatGPT can be used to create safety checklists or resource guides for employees and leadership to help manage safety needs. AI-powered surveillance systems can detect unsafe behaviors in real time, she added, and predictive analytics can anticipate hazards before they occur.
AI-driven telematics can monitor and improve driver safety, Woodard said, and automated safety training through virtual safety assistants can make it easier for employees to learn and apply best practices to reduce workplace injuries.
Per Pie’s findings, 75% of small businesses reported workplace injuries in the past year. Nearly half of respondents admitted to improvising safety measures due to a lack of proper equipment. Mental health-related injuries (22%); slips, trips, and falls (20%); cuts, lacerations, and punctures (18%); and overexertion and repetitive strain injuries (13%) were the most common workplace injuries.
Woodard expects AI adoption to grow and its uses to expand in the next half-decade.
When asked how she foresees the technology changing, Woodard said she anticipates predictive analytics tools–such as those used to foresee hazards–will become more accurate. These include predictive maintenance systems that monitor machinery and equipment to detect potential failures, as well as emergency response systems that detect fires and gas leaks “in more-real time than your traditional sensors.” She also pointed to AI that analyzes employee movements and ergonomics and identifies risks or behaviors that could potentially lead to injuries.
