How Finavia’s HR Team Made AI a Routine Part of the Job Description
When Petra Koskinen joined airport operator Finavia in 2023, she expected to work in human resources—but not necessarily to be immediately immersed in a major digital transformation project. Yet that’s exactly what happened. Koskinen was brought into a large-scale HR system project from her very first days, a sign that at Finavia, technology and people operations are no longer separate streams. Artificial intelligence, it turns out, is simply part of the HR job description now.
That integration of AI into the everyday rhythm of HR work is not a distant goal or a pilot experiment at the Finnish state-owned company, which manages 20 airports across the country. Instead, it is a present reality that shapes how recruitment, employee data management and process support are carried out. Koskinen’s experience illustrates a broader shift: the modern HR professional is expected to be comfortable with data, automation, and digital systems just as much as with traditional personnel development and labour law.
For Koskinen, whose academic background includes a Bachelor of Business, the blend came naturally. Business studies gave her a framework that aligned well with the systems-thinking and analytical skills needed to work on HR technology projects. While Finavia has not detailed the exact AI-powered tools it uses, the company’s approach suggests that machine learning, predictive analytics, or intelligent process automation are now embedded in its HR infrastructure. Such tools can help screen applications, identify skill gaps, forecast staffing needs, or even support managers in making data-driven people decisions.
A practical, not futuristic, approach
What stands out about Finavia’s story is the absence of hype. There is no grand announcement of an AI revolution; rather, the company is quietly making artificial intelligence part of routine HR responsibilities. Koskinen’s assignment to an HR system project straight out of the gate tells its own story: new HR hires are expected to contribute to digital transformation efforts immediately, not after years of tradition-bound training. This pragmatic approach mirrors a trend across industries where HR departments are shedding their administrative-only image and becoming strategic partners that lean on technology to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
The development also reflects Finland’s broader tech-savvy culture. As a nation that consistently ranks high in digital competitiveness and innovation, Finnish workplaces have often been early adopters of automation. Finavia, operating in the critical infrastructure space of air travel, has ample reason to ensure its workforce management is as smooth as its flight operations. AI-driven HR systems can help the company maintain the right staffing levels across multiple airports, forecast seasonal demand, or speed up compliance processes—all while freeing up HR professionals to focus on more complex, human-centred advisory work.
Koskinen’s role is emblematic of a new generation of HR practitioners who see technology not as a threat but as a complement to their skills. By joining Finavia during an active system overhaul, she stepped into a position where business acumen, digital literacy, and people skills converge. Industry observers note that such job profiles are becoming the norm, not the exception. According to numerous studies on the future of work, the ability to work alongside AI will soon be a baseline requirement for HR teams worldwide, from small enterprises to multinationals.
The company has not publicly released performance metrics from its digitised HR function, but the decision to embed AI into daily practice indicates confidence in the outcomes. Koskinen’s story, first reported in Finnish media, has resonated internationally precisely because it paints a picture of an achievable, already-happening transformation rather than a speculative tomorrow. For HR professionals watching from the sidelines, the message from Finavia’s talent team is clear: digital readiness is no longer optional; it’s woven into the fabric of the job.
As more organisations follow a similar path, the line between HR and IT will continue to blur. Petra Koskinen may not have set out to become a symbol of this shift, but her experience at Finavia demonstrates that when a company treats AI not as a standalone project but as a natural part of how people are managed, the role of the HR professional evolves in lockstep. For the next generation of business graduates eyeing HR careers, tech fluency could be as essential as emotional intelligence.
