In the rapidly evolving world of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to make its mark in social care. While headlines often trumpet its potential to boost efficiency and reduce costs, a quieter but deeply important conversation is emerging. One that centres on the wellbeing of social care professionals. AI holds powerful potential to ease workloads and reduce stress, but without proper regulation and scrutiny, it can also create new risks, particularly when it comes to evidencing decisions and safeguarding service users’ rights.

The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Social Care

AI is not a silver bullet, especially in a sector as nuanced and human-focused as social care. Unregulated AI poses real dangers.

· Risk to evidencing and accountability: Without clear audit trails and transparency, AI-generated notes or decisions could fail legal or professional scrutiny. This is particularly serious in safeguarding contexts, where evidence must be watertight.

· Ethical ambiguity: When decisions are influenced or made by algorithms, the “why” behind them can become obscured, risking trust and undermining professional judgement.

· Digital exclusion and tech fatigue: Not all social care professionals are digitally confident. Poorly designed or unsupported tools can become a burden, adding stress rather than alleviating it.

AI must be approached with caution, especially in an unregulated landscape. Responsible development, transparency and human oversight must be built into every stage of AI integration in social care.

AI as a Tool for Staff Wellbeing

Despite these risks, when designed with care and intentionality, AI has the potential to significantly improve staff wellbeing. In a sector battling burnout, recruitment challenges and excessive administrative burdens, technology can become a powerful support system. Here’s how:

· Reducing paperwork and admin: Tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT are already being used to draft meeting summaries, outline reports and simplify communication.

· Simplifying communication: AI can translate complex documents into plain language, ensuring clarity across diverse teams and for those with additional communication needs.

· Automating repetitive tasks: Scheduling appointments, logging visits or generating first drafts of documentation from voice notes can now be automated, reducing after-hours admin and giving staff their evenings back.

· Creating accessible visuals: Infographics and visual reports generated through AI tools support both service user engagement and clearer internal communication.

These tools don’t replace human judgement. They preserve it by protecting staff from the relentless churn of admin that often leads to burnout.

A Word of Caution on AI in Care Planning

Care plans require depth, empathy and collaborative input. While AI can support the documentation process—such as transcribing voice notes or organising information—it must not take over the human responsibility of creating these highly personal documents.

There are critical risks to using AI for care planning without human oversight:

· Lack of contextual sensitivity: AI may misrepresent or overlook crucial personal details, family dynamics or emotional nuances.

· Inaccurate or fabricated content: AI tools can produce confident-sounding but incorrect information that, if unreviewed, could compromise care quality or legal accountability.

· Undermined co-production: Care planning is a relational activity. If AI-generated content dominates the process, it risks disempowering the person receiving care.

· Erosion of trust and skills: Overreliance on AI may weaken professional judgement and reflective practice among practitioners.

“Care planning is more than a record. It’s a conversation, a relationship, and a commitment. When AI is used without sensitivity, we risk reducing stories to checklists. That’s not care. That’s administration dressed as empathy.” — Anoushka Farouk, CarePoint365

AI can and should be used to reduce burden—not to write the plan, but to make space for the practitioner to write it better, and with the person at the heart of it.

Wellbeing-First AI: Use Cases for the Sector

Some standout examples of AI tools that reflect this wellbeing-first ethos include:

· Magic Notes: Piloted in several local authorities, this tool turns voice-recorded observations into structured, editable assessments, helping social workers document more efficiently while keeping ownership of the final content.

· AI-driven wellbeing platforms: Inspired by innovations in other sectors, tools that track stress levels through language, prompt self-care or offer confidential mental health support are poised to make a meaningful impact in social care too.

Imagine a workplace where a stressed manager receives an automated prompt to take a break, or where a chatbot provides confidential wellbeing support after a difficult shift. These are not far-fetched ideas. They are already in place in other industries.

Guiding Principles for Safe and Supportive AI

At the first-ever AI Summit in Social Care (March 2025), over 150 professionals, ranging from frontline workers to people with lived experience, came together to co-create a responsible AI framework. Central to this was a Pledge for Tech Suppliers grounded in dignity, independence and human rights.

Key outcomes included affirmations like:

· “We use AI to enhance, not replace, human care.”

· “I feel confident that AI tools respect my privacy and support my role.”

This kind of intentional, inclusive design is what will ensure AI tools truly serve the sector rather than reshape it in damaging ways.

A Future Built on Ethics, Not Expedience

The vision for AI in social care should not be one of replacement but of reinforcement. A system where staff are supported, not stretched. Where wellbeing isn’t aspirational, but embedded.

Let’s be clear. The risks of unregulated AI are real and significant. But so is the opportunity to create more humane, sustainable work environments for care professionals. With the right guardrails, we can avoid the pitfalls of algorithmic overreach and instead use technology to build a culture of care that extends not just to those being supported, but to those doing the supporting.

“If we get this right, AI won’t just change how we work, it will change how we feel about our work.” — Mark Topps, Social Care Influencer and Advocate

Let’s make sure we get it right.