ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND SOCIAL WORK: ETHICAL DILEMMAS AND CHALLENGES IN THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

This paper will look at the potential of artificial intelligence in the field of social work as a helping profession focused on social justice, social development, democracy, equality and the protection of human rights. Artificial intelligence represents a complex area that is still not advanced enough, especially in the field of social work. In this sense, AI is seen as a discipline and science that should make everyday life easier, while on the other hand there are still numerous moral and ethical issues, especially in the field of human rights protection. At first glance, AI and social work may seem like an unlikely combination, or even as conflicting disciplines; however, the paper will show the strengths, and the common tendencies of the aforementioned disciplines. Additionally, the paper will present what the main ethical dilemmas and challenges in the implementation of artificial intelligence in the field of social work are, as well as what various state-of-the-art mechanisms are provided at the moment. Finally, the paper leaves room for discussion about the digitalisation of social work, the practicality of applying AI in social work, as well as the possibilities of more proactive protection of human rights and the establishment of new policies and practices.