Artificial Intelligence and Empathy in Social Work Practice

Abstract

Summary: The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and its integration into social service sectors necessitate a critical examination of how interpersonal relationships between social workers and clients are being reshaped. Central to these relationships is empathy, a core competency underpinning effective social work practice. This article offers a theoretical exploration of the ways in which AI mediates and transforms empathetic engagement within this context. Drawing on a phenomenological framework, it develops an account of how AI mediation affects the structure and quality of empathic relationships. Findings: The article finds that AI plays a significant role in reconfiguring interpersonal dynamics within social work, yet its effects are not uniformly negative. Rather, the influence of AI on empathy is fundamentally ambiguous, contingent upon the specific mode of implementation. While some applications of AI may diminish or even displace opportunities for embodied empathy, others may enhance and enrich empathic interaction. Consequently, the impact of AI should be understood in nuanced, context-sensitive terms, rather than through a reductive binary of enhancement versus erosion. Applications: The article introduces a typology of AI applications within social work, categorizing them according to their potential effects on empathy. It differentiates between empathy-enhancing uses, such as assistive technologies that facilitate communication in disability contexts, and empathy-reductive or empathy-hostile implementations, such as systems that entirely replace human social workers. This framework offers a conceptual basis for evaluating current and future AI interventions in social work, with particular attention to preserving or enriching the empathic quality of practitioner–client relationships.