Artificiell intelligens inom socialtjänsten - Socionomers inställning till AI

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this study was to investigate social workers’ competence, use of, and attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) within social work services, with a focus on identifying how AI affects the professional role. The reason we wish to research this subject is that artificial intelligence has become increasingly relevant in society and may come to influence social work in various ways. Therefore, we aim to explore social workers’ perceptions of how AI could potentially impact the field. Through eight qualitative interviews with social workers in South Sweden, we were able to highlight their own attitudes and individual perspectives on AI. The results show that the use of AI in social service work varies among the different municipalities. Some of them have an AI that is specifically recommended for social service work; those mentioned are Svea GPT, Rise GPT, and Copilot. However, the respondents described a need for more education regarding how to use AI in practice. Opportunities regarding the use of AI include less documentation and more time to meet clients. Risks and challenges concerning AI include complications with confidentiality, ethics, and insufficient knowledge. Regarding AI’s impact on the professional role, participants emphasize that the human contact in social work must be protected. The incorporation of AI within social services can represent both an opportunity and a risk to professional discretion and autonomy.