Social service agencies need safeguards when using AI
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used by social service agencies to handle cases involving child abuse, intimate partner violence and elder abuse. But a University of Iowa researcher and former social worker says the agencies need to establish safeguards to ensure that AI technology does not lead to bias against vulnerable or disadvantaged populations.
Social service agencies are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to aid in cases involving child abuse, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse, according to a University of Iowa researcher. However, Aislinn Conrad, an associate professor in the School of Social Work, warns that safeguards must be put in place to prevent AI from introducing bias against vulnerable populations.
AI systems can be beneficial in identifying at-risk individuals and informing intervention decisions, but Conrad argues that they could remove the human element necessary for impartial decision-making, particularly when those decisions could disrupt families or marginalize them. She recommends that agencies prioritize survivors in AI-driven decisions and develop safeguards to prevent bias, such as centering survivor agency, ensuring transparent and contestable decisions, and conducting regular fairness audits.
Conrad's research comes as Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services partners with Google to develop an AI-enhanced information system, VISION, to modernize child welfare case management. While AI could potentially identify communities facing severe housing instability, caregiver stress, or inadequate services, Conrad cautions that it should not expand surveillance of disadvantaged families. Instead, the goal should be to improve access to services and outcomes for those families.
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