AIRA – AI Solutions for Sustainable and Productive Knowledge Work

The ‘AIRA – AI Solutions for Sustainable and Productive Knowledge Work’ project aims to co-develop new operating models for the utilization and implementation of generative AI in knowledge-intensive and innovation-oriented work organizations, aiming to increase productivity and sustainability.
The AI revolution is creating a significant change in Finnish working life and has far-reaching effects for employees, companies and organisations. When utilised effectively, generative AI can make knowledge-intensive work more efficient and improve its quality. However, the rapid development and implementation of AI can pose challenges to employee well-being, for example by increasing cognitive workload, social isolation or by increasing expectations on productivity.
The AIRA project responds to these challenges by co-developing, testing and evaluating Al-based solutions, which support employee wellbeing, strengthen innovation capacity and increase resilience and productivity in knowledge-intensive and RDI work.
The project maps out the best Finnish and international solutions for the utilization of generative AI in the workplace and organizes five national co-creation workshops that bring together people with extensive expertise and experiences on the use of AI. Based on the learnings from the co­creation workshops, long-term pilot experiments are organized in diverse work environments, during which solutions for the implementation of generative AI are tested, developed and applied. 13 pilot experiments will take place in micro and SME companies operating in Kajaani, Oulu, Tampere and Helsinki. A comparison group of pilots will take place at the Oulu and Kajaani universities of applied sciences and the city organizations of Tampere and Helsinki. KAMK and Oamk are responsible for measuring the project’s impacts and analyzing the results, utilizing the QWL-survey and Al-maturity model. Dissemination of results is ane of the key objectives of AIRA. The results will be published in scientific publications and a national webinar series. As part of its dissemination strategy the project will carry out effective stakeholder engagement.
The AIRA project is designed to implement the most relevant national and regional strategies including Terveellinen työ 2023-2025, TYO2030, Uudistuva ja osaava Suomi 2021-2027 ja and Section 4.2 of the Government Programme. Development of working life and well-being at work. The project aisa supports the Smart Specialisation Strategies and provincial programmes of the participating provinces, as well as the digitalisation and ethical AI objectives of the participating cities, the EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The AIRA-project will result in a better understanding of the impact that rapid advancement of AI can bring to employee well-being and the potential solutions that are available to solve these challenges. The project will help employees and organisations to better manage the risks and challenges that come with the ‘AI revolution’. The project’s human-centered approach ensures that changes are sustainable and promote both business goals and employee well-being. The operating models for the successful implementation of generative AI that are developed during AIRA can be applied and utilized widely in diverse workplaces, promoting a sustainable and productive working life that is ready for the challenges of the future.
Project partners:
– Forum Virium Helsinki Oy
– Tampereen kaupunkiseudun elinkeino-ja kehitysyhtiö Business Tampere Oy
– Oulun Ammattikorkeakoulu Oy
– Tampereen kaupunki
– Kajaanin Ammattikorkeakoulu Oy