There’s growing appetite among social care practitioners and decision-makers to see artificial intelligence (AI) better integrated into social care. This conversation is particularly timely given the current efforts to support an aging population. At our AI in Social Care Summit back in March, Dr Caroline Green gave a really powerful analogy explaining how AI technology is more like a “baby monitor.” Our director of research at the Institute for Ethics in AI, Laura Blodgett, spoke to its potential while underscoring its limitations. She stated that “AI can only be part of the solution but not the whole solution,” reflecting a cautious approach toward this emerging technology.
The UK’s population of people aged 67 or older is now advancing towards 12 million. This workforce gap is only expected to grow, with estimates reaching 13.7 million by 2032, which creates an immediate need for creative solutions in delivering care. AI can help us improve communication in different care environments Dr. Marco Pontin, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant. He demonstrated a robot uniquely programmed to react to human touch, demonstrating the potential for the coolness of AI.
AllyCares, a company led by Thomas Tredinnick, has introduced technology that employs sensors to monitor care home residents’ rooms overnight. This system tracks and monitors interruptions or incidents, so caregivers can address situations before they escalate into a greater concern. For the last year, AllyCares has enjoyed an astounding 81% decrease in these kinds of incidents. That’s a huge testament to improvement in the safety and well-being of our residents.
Aislinn Mullee, deputy manager at a care home utilizing AI technology, shared her insights on the impact of these advancements. She further emphasized how the technology really transformed their capacity to pinpoint the residents’ pain. This breakthrough has opened the doors to better interventions that can be done alongside local general practitioners (GPs). The care home uses a smartphone app, Painchek, to scan residents’ faces for signs of pain.
“It can help with some of the administrative work, some of the operation of care, but it cannot replace that human touch.” – Aislinn Mullee
Even with these strides in technology, experts are warning against the incorporation of AI into social care. Dr. Green was particularly alarmed by the absence of definitive government policy directing how AI should be deployed in this sector. She stated, “At the moment there’s no official government policy on guidance on the use of AI in social care,” pointing out that it is crucial to consider how policy will shape future developments.
Dr. Green stressed the need to preserve human relationships in care delivery models. She remarked on her personal experience when her mother was admitted to a care home, stating, “When mum came here for the first few nights I did ask for routine checks because I was concerned.” This example underscores the emotional and relational dimensions of care that technology cannot replace.
Aislinn Mullee from the National Wildlife Federation underscored the perils of becoming overly dependent on AI. She cautioned against thinking of AI as a panacea for workforce shortages and increased demand in the care economy. She focused on the need for a whole-of-society approach, calling for more investment in the human resources to complement where we’re going with technology.
“I think here we really need to make sure that we don’t just invest in AI to take over care-giving but that we keep on investing in people, in professionals who will be able to provide that care.” – Aislinn Mullee
Lee-Ann Fenge, a social care ethics practitioner, brought a key perspective. She passionately pushes for consideration of the real pros and cons of using AI before deploying it. Most importantly, she stressed AI as a technology that helps to amplify what we already do in caregiving, not replace it.
“We need to prepare people better to protect themselves, so this isn’t just about saying AI is wonderful, let’s use it. We need to look at both the potentials of AI but also the risks that it could pose.” – Lee-Ann Fenge
Dr. Pontin further elaborated on the concept of creating digital twins of patients, which could assist occupational therapists in monitoring their clients remotely. He stated, “With an ever-growing ageing population it’s harder to be there for everyone, so providing a digital twin of a patient could enable occupational therapists to know what is going on with their various patients without necessarily being there all of the time.”
The conversation surrounding AI impact on social care, as everywhere, is changing quickly. In the meantime, stakeholders are working to strike a balance between innovation and crucial ethical considerations. AI technologies hold tremendous promise for advancing monitoring and assessment within care settings. Many scholars contend that the human touch is unique and can’t be replaced.