Study: AI adoption stalls due to financial resources and shortage of expertise in social and health care in Finland

A national study reveals nearly 50 systemic challenges that slow the adoption of artificial intelligence in Finland's public social and health care sector.

HELSINKI, FINLAND, October 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A recent national study reveals nearly 50 systemic challenges that slow down the adoption of artificial intelligence in Finland's public social and health care sector. The biggest obstacles were financial resources and a lack of AI expertise.

The online survey, aimed at experts in the social and health care sector, received responses from 82 specialists across 17 public wellbeing services counties, the HUS Group, and the City of Helsinki. Responses were also obtained from companies, research institutions, associations, federations, and state agencies. The study was conducted by Web Fellows Oy, a company specializing in research for public administration.

The three most critical challenges for the proliferation of AI were:
1. Financial resources (average 2.58)
2. Lack of technical AI expertise in wellbeing services counties (2.45)
3. Availability of AI experts (2.40)

Surprisingly, the smallest challenges were identified as the availability of digital materials, the practical applicability of AI solutions, and awareness of AI solutions available on the market. All 46 identified challenges were rated as at least moderately significant. The overall average was 2.1 on a scale of 0–3.

“An interesting finding was also that respondents who had been involved in AI projects rated the challenges as statistically less significant than those without experience. This indicates that preconceptions might be greater obstacles than the actual challenges,” notes researcher Jarmo Pulkkinen.

The research results were published on October 15, 2025, in the esteemed Journal of Health Organization and Management. The research data was collected in November-December 2024. The scientific article was co-authored by researcher Jarmo Pulkkinen (Web Fellows Oy), independent researcher Kimmo Huttu, and Professor Marjo Suhonen (University of Lapland).

Read the article here: https://www.emerald.com/jhom/article-pdf/39/9/435/10354463/jhom-06-2025-0309en.pdf

The report, based on the results, summarises the key findings and presents concrete measures for different actors in the social and health care sector to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence.

Download the research report in PDF format: https://www.webfellows.fi/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sote-AI-Haasteet-Tutkimus-2025-EN.pdf

Further information:

Jarmo Pulkkinen, Researcher, Web Fellows Oy
jarmo.pulkkinen@webfellows.fi

Web Fellows Oy provides research services for digitalization and AI to the public sector: municipalities, wellbeing services counties, ministries, and agencies. Our service is efficient, impactful, and empathetic. Since 1998. www.webfellows.fi

Jarmo Pulkkinen
Web Fellows
jarmo.pulkkinen@webfellows.fi

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