Overview

Artificial intelligence (AI), including tools like ChatGPT, is quickly becoming part of everyday professional practice. In fields like social work – where decisions can have serious consequences – AI offers exciting possibilities. It can summarise information, suggest ideas, and support decision-making. However, it also raises important questions: does AI strengthen critical thinking, or does it risk replacing it? This project explored how AI influences the way professionals think, assess risk, and make decisions.

The challenge

Critical thinking is essential in high-stakes work, especially when protecting the public and safeguarding rights. Professionals often work under pressure, with incomplete information and tight deadlines. This can create anxiety about making mistakes, affecting decision-making

AI promises to ease this pressure, but its impact on thinking is still unclear. AI tools can sometimes provide inaccurate or overly confident answers, lack real understanding of context, and cannot empathise. There is a risk that users may rely on AI too heavily, potentially weakening essential professional judgement. Ensuring decisions remain fair, ethical, and well-informed is therefore a key concern.

What we did

Building on our earlier research – showing that critical thinking improves when social workers reflect and discuss cases with peers – we worked with 16 experienced Justice Social Workers using realistic (but fictional) case studies. Across three workshops, participants assessed risk and experimented with AI as a decision-support tool. One session also focused on building confidence and skills in using AI. We explored how AI shaped their thinking: what helped, what didn’t, and what risks emerged.

The approach is now being used for all child protection joint investigative interviews in Scotland, and is since being adopted by Public Health Scotland across all health visitor assessments of 0-4 year olds, the Scottish Government’s annual Child Protection Statistics, the quarterly Minimum Dataset for Child Protection Committees, and the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration’s Children’s Hearings statistics. 

Impact

The project has already influenced practice, policy, and future research.

Key impacts include:

• Enhancing AI literacy in Social Work;
• Promoting responsible and ethical use of AI in professional practice;
• Informing the development of clear policies and guidelines for the ethical and effective use of AI;
• Informing the development of professional training;
• Shaping the policy and professional debate around AI in social work practice.