Project
AI Agents to Work
Project sponsors
Focus area
Implementation time
1.9.2026
-
31.10.2028
Unit
Financing program
European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027
UN Sustainable development goals
Project description
AI Agents to Work Project
The objective of the AI Agents to Work project is to elevate the AI capabilities of management and employees in SMEs across Central Finland to a new level. During the project, participants will learn how to identify, pilot, and deploy advanced AI agents to improve the efficiency of knowledge-intensive work processes. The project will strengthen companies' ability to utilize AI agents in their business operations in a practical and responsible manner. While the adoption of AI agents will transform everyday work, it can significantly enhance both productivity and job satisfaction. However, this requires employees to develop new skills and embrace change. The project aims to engage at least 105 participants in training activities and implement at least five company pilots that, in addition to improving competencies, will achieve measurable time and cost savings.
The project activities are divided into five work packages that progress from needs assessment and skills mapping to practical piloting, competence development, impact measurement, and dissemination of results. Process analyses will be carried out in participating companies to identify the most beneficial use cases for AI agents and to evaluate the quality of existing data. During the pilot phase, AI agents will be developed and tested within companies' own processes, ensuring that capabilities become embedded in everyday operations and providing hands-on experience. The benefits achieved through the pilots will be measured and analyzed, and the lessons learned will be compiled into an open-access toolkit.
Training sessions and workshops will be tailored for both management and employees based on the outcomes of the skills assessment. Participants will learn how to identify opportunities for AI agents in their own work, evaluate data quality and utilization, calculate the profitability of AI investments, and address legal and data protection requirements. The training and workshops will be delivered in multiple formats, including in-person, online, and hybrid sessions. Learning outcomes will be measured using a before-and-after assessment approach. In addition, peer learning and openly available materials will support the wide dissemination of knowledge among companies and their personnel.
The project will deliver concrete outcomes, including a clear AI agent implementation plan for at least 30 companies, at least five successful pilots achieving an average 15–20% reduction in time and/or costs within selected processes, and a model for the responsible adoption of AI solutions. In the long term, the project will enhance the productivity and competitiveness of regional businesses, modernize workforce skills to meet the demands of future working life, and strengthen the region's attractiveness as a leader in digital transformation. The project results will remain widely accessible and usable after the project has ended. In addition to supporting the day-to-day operations of companies, the open outputs and results can also be utilized within the educational offerings of various higher education institutions and other educational organizations.
Jyrki Vihriälä
Project Manager
+358 50 564 6644
jyrki.vihriala@jamk.fi
JAMK University of Applied Sciences
School of Business
Rajakatu 35
FI-40200 Jyväskylä
Finland