The Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Social Work: Opportunities, Risks, and Future Directions

Abstract

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, its potential applications in the field of social work are becoming increasingly evident. This paper explores the opportunities, risks, and future directions of the integration of artificial intelligence and social work. Through automated tools, data analysis, and intelligent support systems, AI has significantly enhanced service efficiency, precision, and coverage, while also promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. However, its application also faces risks such as ethical and privacy concerns, the loss of humanistic care due to over-reliance on technology, uneven resource distribution, and policy lag. To address these challenges, future efforts should focus on strengthening ethical guidelines and policy frameworks, improving the technical literacy of social workers, promoting equitable access to technology, exploring human-machine collaboration models, and enhancing interdisciplinary research. This paper aims to provide theoretical support and practical insights for social work practitioners, policymakers, and technology developers, fostering the deep integration of artificial intelligence and social work to build a more intelligent and human-centered social service system.