ai
Building and Governing AI Systems: Advancing Social Workers' Roles across the Technology Industry, Human Service Organizations, and Policy Institutions
- Source
- arXiv — Computers and Society
- Published
- Last verified
- 6 Aug 2026
- Confidence
- High
- Evidence
- Original document retained
- Reading time
- 1 min
- Country
- International
- Relevant to
- Policy & Regulation, Technology & Data, Research & Evidence, Executive Leadership, Finance & Investment, Partners & Funders
Executive summary
What happened, and why should leadership care?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly impacting domains traditionally served by social work, including crisis response and mental health care. Social workers are currently engaging with AI as users, data subjects, and first responders to system deployments, often observing development decisions from an external perspective. This analysis, based on a paper from arXiv, highlights the need for social workers to integrate into AI development teams and policy-making bodies to ensure ethical and effective AI systems aligned with human service principles.
Why this matters
Why is this strategically important?
The expanding influence of AI into sensitive human service domains necessitates the integration of domain experts, like social workers, into the design and governance processes. This ensures AI systems are developed with a comprehensive understanding of human welfare, ethical considerations, and societal impact, mitigating potential harms and optimizing beneficial applications.
Key insights
What should be noted from the evidence?
- AI is expanding into traditional social work domains such as crisis response, mental health, and welfare administration.
- Social workers interact with AI systems primarily as users, data subjects, and those addressing system outcomes.
- Current engagement models often place social workers outside the decision-making processes for AI system development.
- The paper aims to identify specific roles within technology product teams and policy institutions that social workers can occupy.
- It reviews AI-era technology disciplines and relevant social work scholarship.
Evidence and confidence
How far can this assessment be trusted?
High confidence. Named institution, original document retained and analysis corroborated.
Analysis is prepared by the AZIZ OS Intelligence Engine. The original publication remains the authoritative record, and executive judgement remains entirely human.
Source
Where does this originate?
Reported by arXiv — Computers and Society · International. This briefing summarises the publication for executive use; the document itself is not reproduced here.
Read the original publication