SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

Today, when digital transformation affects the field of social work, the integration of artificial intelligence technologies into professional practices gains importance. This study examines social work students' views on artificial intelligence with a phenomenological approach. The aim of the study is to determine students' perceptions of artificial intelligence, its potential role in professional practices and their concerns about ethics. The study included 14 third and fourth year social work students living in Bandırma. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool, and in-depth interviews lasted between 30-45 minutes. The analyses were carried out by thematic analysis method using MAXQDA software. In the findings, 8 sub-themes and 27 codes were identified under 3 main themes: 'Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence', 'Intersection of Social Work and Artificial Intelligence' and 'Artificial Intelligence Education and Access'. While students emphasise the benefits of artificial intelligence such as making life easier (f=10) and fast access (f=8), they have concerns about lack of empathy (f=8), privacy and data security (f=8). In addition, the integration of artificial intelligence into the curriculum (f=9) emerged as an important need. The results show that artificial intelligence in social work education should be positioned in line with professional values.