29 | AI in Social Work: The Conversation Every Social Worker Needs to Hear

📅 25th Aug 2026

AI has saved me hours.

But it has also confidently given me information that was completely wrong.

In social work, where our assessments and recommendations can affect children, families and vulnerable adults, that cannot simply be dismissed as an inconvenient mistake.

Last week, I asked why you have not started creating another income stream. This week, I want to show you what starting can actually look like through something many of us may already be using, but are not yet talking about openly.

Artificial intelligence.

I have been using AI since 2021, the same year I started my social work consultancy. At first, I used it for simple tasks such as writing emails and social media posts. Over time, that developed into research, creating courses, building systems and supporting how I run my business.

But this episode is not a sales pitch for AI.

It is an honest conversation about where AI has saved me time, where it has completely let me down, and the questions I believe our profession and its leaders need to ask before its use goes any further within social work.

Whenever I talk about using these tools, I am referring to my own notes and non-confidential information. Protecting client confidentiality and sensitive data must always remain the priority.

In this episode:

• My AI journey since 2021, from writing emails to building business systems

• Why burnout and bureaucracy may be a greater threat to human-centred social work than the technology itself

• Why social workers may already be using AI quietly, without guidance, training or a safe space to ask questions

• The confidentiality, GDPR and professional responsibility questions to consider before entering anything into an AI tool

• Why I think of AI as my kitchen assistant while I remain the head chef

• The difference between polished writing and genuine professional analysis, and why that matters in assessments

• What happened when AI completely failed to save me time while I was editing this podcast

• How AI helped me solve an urgent family problem in under an hour when my dad’s freezer broke

• Why AI can appear to build trust and the risks this could create for vulnerable people

• The questions social work organisations and leaders need to ask before introducing AI tools

• Why practitioners, children, families and vulnerable adults must be part of shaping this conversation

Reflection question:

What is one task you would like AI to help you with, and what is one part of your work you believe AI should never decide?

This is not a one-off conversation for me.

I will continue sharing what I am learning, what is working, what is failing and the questions I believe our profession needs to be asking.

Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me what you are seeing in your own work.

What excites you about AI? What concerns you? Where do you believe the boundary should be?

Connect with Ade Larigo:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/

If this episode has made you think differently about AI in social work, please share it within your network, your community or at your next team meeting.

Sis, you were built for great things.

And remember, around here, we dey change our story. 👑