It is regarded as a threat to jobs, a security risk and a driving force behind populism, the glorification of violence and discrimination: artificial intelligence (AI). But can it, under certain circumstances, also have a positive impact on participation and inclusion? Students on the Social Work degree programme at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences explored this question and attended the 22nd ‘Parliamentarians’ Evening’ organised by Lebenshilfe and Albert Schweitzer Wohnen und Leben Bremerhaven gGmbH on the European Day of Protest for the Equality of People with Disabilities.

Is AI more of an opportunity or a threat? Who benefits from it? And what does it mean for inclusion and participation? The students explored these questions during their sixth semester, working alongside Prof. Dr Michael Böwer. Before the semester began, they had quite clear ideas. “When you hear the term AI, you tend to have rather negative thoughts. It’s usually about jobs being lost or personal data being misused. At first, you don’t really think about the opportunities AI offers,” says Mattes Behrends, one of the students. This makes it all the more important to engage in conversation with people who use AI and find it makes their everyday lives easier – for example, people with disabilities. After experiencing for themselves, through the ‘Mobile Course for New Perspectives’ —where, amongst other things, they experienced the effects of sensory overload for themselves using VR headsets—and took part in workshops at the Bremerhaven Inclusion Conference, the students and their professor co-organised this year’s ‘Parliamentarians’ Evening’ and engaged in discussions there with people with and without disabilities. This has given them a new perspective on AI and inclusion.

Artificial intelligence can help break down barriers that make life difficult for people with disabilities. The potential applications are wide-ranging. “AI can, for example, record and transcribe speech, read texts aloud, or assist with phrasing and spelling,” explains student Anna Schaake. This enables people with disabilities to express themselves – including on political issues. Voice bots could be used to provide information, whilst specialised AI glasses could support people with visual impairments. At the same time, it is important to educate people on how AI works and where its limitations lie. “We have found that the datasets used to train AI often originate from privileged individuals. Inclusive AI would involve marginalised groups and be developed in a participatory manner, with the necessary time and effort,” says Professor Böwer, summarising their joint findings. It is important that AI itself is accessible and that everyone has equal access to it. However, this is not always the case. On the one hand, the user interface is not necessarily self-explanatory. On the other hand, a suitable device and internet access are required, which are not always available.

The students were surprised by the positive aspects of artificial intelligence. They discussed together what this means for social work. Their conclusion: artificial intelligence can empower people with disabilities to lead self-determined lives. At the same time, however, it is only a small piece of the jigsaw; it should be used as a tool, but not as a substitute for qualified staff. “One of the key takeaways from our course is that professional support and the facilitation of participation are indispensable; in this respect, we criticise the government’s massive plans for cuts in the areas of participation and support services – we actually need more of these, not less, if we are serious about creating an inclusive society,” said Professor Dr Michael Böwer. 

The seven-semester Bachelor’s degree programme in Social Work at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences equips its students for the full range of professional fields, whether school social work, drug counselling, child and family support, experiential education or support for older people. The practice-oriented curriculum has been designed in close collaboration with regional partners and thus meets the actual requirements of the labour market. The collaboration with the German Society for Transactional Analysis enables students to obtain a counselling certificate. Normally, this can only be obtained as an additional qualification following several years of training. The programme offered by Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences is therefore unique. The application period for the coming winter semester runs until 15 July. Full details are available at www.hs-bremerhaven.de/social-work.