AI and digitalization: key issues for the future of occupational safety and health, up for debate at the ILO and INSST technical workshop

On April 28 in Madrid, the ILO Office for Spain and the National Institute for Safety and Health at Work (INSST) marked the World Day for Safety and Health at Work with a hybrid‐format tripartite technical workshop that, in line with the theme chosen by the ILO globally, focused on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization for occupational risk prevention.

Félix Peinado, Director of the ILO Office for Spain, during the inauguration

The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy. Specifically, it included the Secretary of State for Labour, Joaquín Pérez Rey, who announced Spain's intention to ratify ILO Convention 191; the Director of the ILO Office for Spain, Félix Peinado, who highlighted the report The role of AI and digitalization at work presented by the ILO on the occasion of the World Day and underscored the need to protect workers' mental health; and representatives of the country's most prominent trade union and employer organisations-CCOO, UGT, CEOE and CEPYME-who addressed both the challenges and opportunities posed by digitalization.

Panel of social partners (from left to right): moderated by Sara López, ILO Technical Advisor; representatives of UGT (José De la Morena), CEOE (Miriam Pinto), CCOO (Carmen Mancheño) and CEPYME (Miguel Canales)

Also, national and international experts in technology, work and occupational safety and health participated, including Joaquim Pintado Nunes, Director of the ILO's Department of Occupational Safety and Health, to discuss the impacts of integrating emerging technologies into the world of work.

Joaquim Nunes, Director of the ILO's Department of Occupational Safety and Health in Geneva, presented the new ILO report, The role of AI and digitalization at work, on the occasion of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Throughout the workshop, both the risks these transformations may pose to workers' safety and health and the potential to improve working conditions through appropriate regulation and social dialogue were examined.

This initiative is part of the ILO's global efforts to promote safe and healthy work environments as a fundamental principle and right at work. Digitalization, artificial intelligence and platform-based work present new challenges for prevention systems, requiring coordinated and sustainable responses from institutional, social and technical stakeholders.

▶️ Full recording of the event in Spanish.

Report "World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2025: The Role of AI and Digitalization at Work".

️Podcast: How AI, robots and other cutting-edge technologies can keep workers safe and sound.