AHFE Open AccessLimits and Risks of Artificial Intelligence Use in Ergonomics
Abstract
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into work systems has been associated with automation and data-driven decision-making. However, in ergonomics, predominantly techno-centered approaches reveal significant structural limits and risks. Grounded in ergonomics of activity and sociotechnical systems theory (Guérin et al., 2001; Falzon, 2014; Salmon et al., 2021), this paper critically examines how algorithmic modeling may reduce transparency, increase cognitive demands, and oversimplify the contextual and interpretative nature of real work activity. While Industry 5.0 emphasizes human-centered technological integration (European Commission, 2021), AI systems often operate through abstraction and generalization that may shift evaluative authority away from professional judgment (Grote, 2023). The study argues that AI should function as a supportive analytical resource rather than as a substitute for ergonomic reasoning, highlighting the need for methodological boundaries that preserve human mediation, contextual interpretation, and systemic coherence in ergonomic practice.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Ergonomics, Ergonomics Of Activity, Human Factors
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1008015
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