The potential of AI is enormous – but quality, ethics and humanity make the difference

2M-IT’s Application Services provides support for the systems and applications used by wellbeing services counties. Business Director Kati Pöllänen sees AI above all as a tool that improves the flow of work and opens up new possibilities.

“AI solutions serve us by making our own work faster and easier. At the same time, AI supports experts in searching for and combining information, helping us find solutions and perspectives that we might not otherwise notice.”

The potential is enormous, but reliable benefits arise only when three things are in place: the data is of high quality, its use is guided ethically and securely, and people remain in control of both decision-making and quality assurance.

AI needs the right kind of high-quality source data. That is why careful and structured documentation is essential: if the source information is incomplete, the suggestions may also lead in the wrong direction. AI-generated suggestions must always be evaluated and approved by a human.

AI in incident management and service management

In the ServiceNow service management system introduced at 2M-IT in 2024, there is an AI assistant called Now Assist. It helps identify and handle incidents, analyzes historical data, suggests solution options, and produces log summaries and final reports. This speeds up response times and helps detect anomalies earlier than before.

In incident management, AI is used, for example, to support the leadership of a situation room – especially in compiling logs and reporting.

“AI helps us quickly identify and prioritize incidents, as well as compile and analyze information from previous cases.”

In service management, AI supports tasks such as reviewing billing and contracts, preparing presentation materials, and compiling meeting notes, summaries and proposed actions. The goal is to leave experts with more time for assessment, decision-making and collaboration.

Data quality: the foundation of trustworthy AI

The reliability of AI-generated solutions depends directly on the data. That is why clear criteria must be set for the structure and content of the data, and day-to-day work must emphasize careful documentation, consistent practices and accuracy: even small gaps or errors can quickly scale through AI.

“The most critical quality assurance step before introducing AI is data quality. We need to know exactly what data the AI is using – and every expert must be precise in collecting and storing that data.”

Ethics and responsible use: people in control

Responsible use of AI requires clear policies: what data may be used, for what purpose, and on what basis. When boundaries, responsibilities and approval practices are transparent and commonly understood, it is easier to trust AI – and risks (such as misuse, bias and data protection risks) remain under control.

The discussion around agents and advanced automation has accelerated: there is talk of agents replacing human work and other agents monitoring their work. However, it is important to remember that AI draws conclusions from existing data. If errors or gaps enter the data, they may be carried into the solutions – and in the worst case, begin to multiply if the outputs are used as the basis for new data or decisions. That is why people also play a key role in quality assurance of AI-generated solutions.

Learning and a culture of experimentation: permission to try – and fail

When the boundary conditions (data quality, policies and human oversight) are in place, the potential is enormous. That is why we should encourage people to learn, experiment and share their experiences of using AI. A safe atmosphere also means that people can learn from failures without fear.

Humans are not disappearing: AI does not replace interaction

AI can speed up information processing and support decision-making, but it does not replace human interaction, trust or collaboration. Complex situations are often resolved through discussion, by combining experience and tacit knowledge, and by making well-considered choices together.

That is why scenarios in which agents would one day handle Teams meetings on behalf of people sound, at the very least, unfamiliar: technology can support meetings, but meaning still comes from people meeting and building shared understanding.

 

Summary

AI can significantly enhance work efficiency and help find solutions faster. However, the benefits are reliable only if the underlying data is of high quality—which requires careful and consistent documentation in everyday work. In addition, clear ethical ground rules are needed for the use of data, and people must remain in control even as agents and automation increase; otherwise, errors can be carried into solutions and multiplied. When these conditions are in place, experimentation and learning should be encouraged—but it is important to remember that AI supports human collaboration, it does not replace interaction.

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In 2M-IT’s AI Project, Quality and Safety Come First

 

In 2M-IT’s AI Project, Quality and Safety Come First

Marko Ranta serves as the Director of IT Services at 2M-IT. IT Services produces comprehensive and large-scale ICT services for wellbeing regions, ranging from basic infrastructure to telecommunications, information security, and end-user support.

“Our work at 2M-IT directly impacts how smoothly and safely critical everyday situations are managed—such as at the emergency room door, where every moment and system reliability are crucial. Seemingly minor technical glitches, like a non-functioning computer or a frozen system, can in a clinical environment even pose patient safety risks if, for example, patient information cannot be accessed at the right time. Our job is to ensure that these fundamentals work flawlessly so that professionals can focus on what matters most—helping people. This real-world impact is at the core of everything we do,” says Ranta.

The Most Valuable Role of AI in Service Production Is to Free Up Experts for More Demanding Tasks

In 2024, 2M-IT adopted the ServiceNow service management system, enabling more efficient IT service development. The system includes the AI assistant Now Assist. 2M-IT’s Support Services is currently running an AI project to develop, test, and pilot AI solutions that automate work steps and improve customer service.

“The most valuable role of AI in service production is to eliminate repetitive and manual work and clarify processes. Experts’ capacity is freed up for where the greatest value is created: high-quality problem solving and developing the customer experience. This way, we can truly focus on what benefits the customer most and continuously improve our services and cost-effectiveness,” Ranta explains.

AI assists with support requests, automatically classifies tickets, suggests solutions, and streamlines information management. AI is not rolled out to every operation at once; instead, pilots enable controlled adoption and learning.

“It has been important for us to pilot first with a smaller group and introduce AI in a controlled way. Monitoring and concrete benefits are key to safe adoption.”

Trust Is Built on Openness and Transparency

Ranta emphasizes open dialogue with customers about how AI is utilized and the added value being pursued. Trust is built through a clear governance model, risk assessment, and transparent processes—only in this way can customers be assured of high-quality and secure service.

“We need to have open discussions with customers about how AI solutions are built and how they support their operations. Trust comes from assessing risks and information security in advance and ensuring processes are transparent.”

First Steps in Automation—Three Principles

According to Marko, automation should start by following three key principles:

  1. Eliminate repetitive manual work, thereby freeing up significant time for experts to handle more demanding tasks.
  2. Ensure data quality—automation’s functionality and reliability are based on high-quality data.
  3. Improve the customer experience and workflow: refining processes is directly reflected in making customers’ everyday lives easier.

“When we choose which processes to automate first, we pay special attention to tasks that free up expert time and where data quality enables reliable automation. Refining processes is directly reflected in the customer experience—daily work becomes easier and turnaround times improve.”

Practical Experiences: The Service Desk Transformation Is Already Underway

Marko illustrates with a concrete example: previously, specialists manually classified every customer service request—a total of half a million per year—and searched for solutions in the knowledge base. In the future, AI will handle classification and propose solutions, reducing manual work and significantly speeding up request handling and turnaround times. The goal is that by December 2027, 95% of incoming requests will be classified automatically, resolution time will be reduced by an average of 50%, and customer satisfaction will remain at its current level.

However, the adoption of AI is not just a technical project but requires reviewing the entire operating model. Marko emphasizes the importance of data quality and process functionality: “Without high-quality data, automation doesn’t work—it’s not just about technology, but about developing the whole system.”

The biggest lesson has been understanding that implementing AI requires assessing the entire process and data quality. Otherwise, automation won’t produce reliable results. It is also important to ensure that guidelines and documentation practices support AI operations.

Metrics and Safety—Measuring Success

The success of the automation project is measured by, among other things, shortening ticket queues and resolution times, as well as customer satisfaction. In addition, processes, responsibility matrices, and documentation guidelines have been updated to meet AI requirements—this has enabled the construction of a reliable, high-quality, and traceable solution.

“The most important metrics are shorter ticket queues, faster resolution times, and increased customer satisfaction. It’s also essential that our experts adopt the new operating models and that processes support automation. Clarifying processes and responsibility roles has been crucial for quality and safety.”

Transferring Routines to AI—Where Are We Now?

At 2M-IT, AI already classifies tickets, produces summaries, suggests solutions, and assists in drafting knowledge articles as well as transcribing calls. This has reduced manual work and improved service speed and consistency. In the future, AI capabilities will expand to more teams and processes.

“We are already well along in having AI handle manual tasks—ticket classification, summary creation, and drafting knowledge articles have become automated. The next goal is to expand these capabilities to more teams and everyday processes.”

Scaling, Competence, and Partnerships—The Next Steps

In the next six months, the goal is to scale successful AI solutions even more broadly. This requires strong partnerships and increased expertise in both technology and governance models. Marko sees that success will be measured by whether AI truly reduces person-years and genuinely boosts efficiency—numbers and practical everyday realities will tell.

“We don’t yet have all the expertise in-house, so partnerships are essential, especially in the early stages of implementation. At the same time, we are growing our own skills and capabilities in both technology and governance. The most important thing is that AI truly reduces person-years and brings real efficiency to daily operations.”

When Is the AI Project Finished?

“Perfect readiness may never be achieved, development is always ongoing. However, when pilot results, risks, and metrics show that goals have been met and the organization’s capabilities are at the right level, we can move to production,” Marko summarizes.

If the goals are not met, the project will not move to production. The line is clear and honest: quality and safety are uncompromisingly the top priority.

“It’s hard to say when an AI project is fully complete, development is continuous. When the criteria, risks, and metrics set in the pilot are met and resources are in place, we can move to production. If the goals are not achieved, the project will not proceed—quality and safety take precedence over everything else.”

Photo: Pasi Leino Photography

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