AI washing refers to situations where individuals or companies exaggerate their AI knowledge, AI usage or AI capabilities. The phenomenon can be compared to greenwashing, where communication around sustainability or environmental performance is misleading. The topic has recently gained attention in international media, including Newsweek, The Guardian and Fortune.
The survey, part of Solita’s report How AI is transforming Nordic work life 2026, was conducted by Kantar Media on behalf of Solita and includes more than 3,000 office workers in Finland, Sweden and Denmark.
Although many respondents have observed exaggeration around AI, far fewer admit doing it themselves. Self-admission remains low across all three countries: 8 percent in Denmark, 6 percent in Finland and 3 percent in Sweden. By contrast, 21 percent in Denmark, 19 percent in Finland and 17 percent in Sweden have observed AI washing among colleagues.
The same pattern appears at the company level: respondents are more likely to see AI washing in other organisations than in their own. In Finland, 12 percent say their own employer exaggerates its AI knowledge or use, compared with 20 percent who say they have observed this in other companies. The gap is similar in Denmark, 8 versus 21 percent, and Sweden, 7 versus 24 percent.
“AI use is sometimes exaggerated when companies want to present themselves as modern, forward-looking organisations. Using AI strategically in business requires long-term work and training. Good leadership, clear guidelines for AI use, and a focus on integrating AI into core business processes, not just supporting individual experimentation, are crucial for credible and sustainable AI maturity,” says Niklas Liedholm, Head of AI at Solita in Sweden.
AI washing erodes trust
According to Solita’s report, AI washing can make it harder to distinguish genuine AI capability. When organisations exaggerate their AI maturity, it can undermine trust in legitimate AI capabilities and create cynicism that slows adoption.
“AI washing isn’t only a marketing problem, it also undermines trust in the real AI transformation happening around us. Companies building real AI maturity are specific about what AI actually does in their organisation, where it adds value and where they are still developing capabilities,” says Niklas Liedholm.
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Solita’s AI report: How AI is transforming Nordic work life 2026
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For more information
- Solita Sweden, Niklas Liedholm, Head of AI Sweden, [email protected], +46 705 396 464
- Solita Finland, Lasse Girs, Head of AI Transformation, [email protected], +358 40 591 8106