Traficom’s Saarimäki: “AI is often used to pursue the wrong goals” – There is a better way

Artificial intelligence has often not been used in the best possible way, says the Director General of Traficom, Finland’s national authority on AI. When the primary goal is productivity alone, organisations easily run into multiple problems. Saarimäki offers a new perspective on how AI should be utilised and outlines the major changes ahead for public services and the work of authorities.

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Traficom’s Director General Jarkko Saarimäki and Digia’s Chief Technology Officer Juhana Juppo discussed these themes in the interview:

• AI is often adopted from the wrong starting points. Focusing solely on productivity can undermine quality and employee motivation – AI does not operate reliably without human oversight.

• A better starting point is the customer and the employee. Sustainable AI development is built on improved customer service and more meaningful work, with productivity following naturally.

• AI enables entirely new types of public services. Rather than merely optimizing existing processes, it is time to rethink licensing processes, services, and responsibilities from the ground up.

• The biggest challenges lie in change management and capabilities. Success requires a clear vision, well-targeted investments, and active support for employees throughout the AI transformation.

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“I believe the transformation brought by AI will be radical – greater than we are currently able to anticipate. We also need a bold shift in how we think about public services and the role of authorities,” says Jarkko Saarimäki, Director General of Traficom.

From a unique vantage point, he observes how AI is reshaping the operations of government and organisations. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, is responsible for the smooth functioning and safety of transport and communications in Finland. Traficom also serves as the national authority for artificial intelligence. So far, the measurable benefits of AI have been modest. In his interview with Digia’s Chief Technology Officer Juhana Juppo, Saarimäki challenges organisations to consider whether AI is being adopted in the most effective and sustainable way.

“Too often, AI initiatives are driven primarily by productivity gains, which is not necessarily the most motivating approach for people. ‘Come do a job that makes yourself redundant’ is not a very compelling sales pitch.”

There is also a clear risk that this approach will weaken the quality of products and services, as AI typically cannot operate reliably without human oversight.

A better approach: putting customers and employees at the center of AI development

In most cases, the smartest starting point for using AI is improving customer service – the lifeblood of organisational success.

“In both the private sector and public administration, the customer must be at the center of everything. If development is driven by other motives, there is a significant risk of going in the wrong direction. Productivity is a result of finding better ways to do things,” Saarimäki says.

Traficom is developing its services with this principle in mind, while also considering employees. Services are being automated as far as possible. The aim is to minimize the human role in routine tasks, while ensuring that employees continue to focus on the work that only humans can do.

“The customer must be at the center of everything. If development is driven by other motives, there is a significant risk of going in the wrong direction.”

“We want to take care of our employees and ensure that there will continue to be interesting and challenging roles in public administration in the future.”

Now is the time to think big – entirely new services are emerging

Saarimäki advises against thinking too small when developing AI, as it enables completely new ways of working. Instead of focusing only on improving parts of existing processes, organisations should consider whether things could be done differently altogether. New technology must be adopted in full, alongside changes to operating models, decision-making and responsibilities.

“At Traficom, for example, we have more than 600 different licensing processes. We are now rethinking the entire licensing process and exploring what AI and automation make possible.”

According to Saarimäki, AI makes it possible to elevate public services to a completely new level. This is also the most effective way to achieve the cost savings that are essential in the current economic situation.

“In Finland, we must continue to ensure high-quality services for people, but we need to find new ways to deliver them. I believe technology and AI play a central role in this.”

AI can take public services to an entirely new level. Public administration in Finland is engaged in extensive collaboration on AI development. The network includes 70 public-sector organisations and more than 200 members, working together on new approaches, such as innovative ways of granting licences.
Traficom is also building a shared chatbot solution for public administration to support customer service. Eight agencies are already participating in the initiative.

“There is no sense in doing this alone, agency by agency,” Saarimäki notes.

He also sees AI as a solution for managing complex system landscapes. Traficom operates around 300 systems, some of which are very old and cover only a small part of the overall picture. Replacing these systems would be costly and time-consuming. However, by building a layer of AI agents on top of existing systems that retrieve data through interfaces, it would be possible to provide better services to users more quickly and at lower cost.

The challenges lie in investment and people

According to Saarimäki, public-sector organisations in Finland need little encouragement to adopt AI – motivation is high across the board. The challenge is identifying where development investments should be directed, especially as technology evolves rapidly. Leadership plays a key role in creating a clear vision, setting aligned goals and defining concrete plans to achieve them.

Another challenge is bringing people along in the transformation. A common risk is an initial spike in AI tool usage accompanied by high expectations. When those expectations are not fully met, organisations tend to revert almost entirely to previous ways of working.

Saarimäki reminds us that supporting employees through the AI transition is part of an employer’s responsibility. Ensuring the right capabilities at both individual and organisational levels is essential. He also emphasises the need to eventually let go of outdated operating models.

“In our own projects, we have found that leadership must devote a significant amount of time – up to 40 percent – to change management,” says Digia’s CTO Juhana Juppo.

What is clear is that AI opens up entirely new opportunities for both businesses and the public sector – opportunities that are well worth seizing.

“Perhaps the most tangible impact of AI so far has been its ability to challenge our thinking. We have realised that we now genuinely have the opportunity to rethink how we work,” Saarimäki concludes.

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