Review: Ottmann, G., & Noble, C. (Eds.). (2026). AI and the disruption of welfare: Challenges for social work education and practice. Routledge
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30827/tsg.v16.37617Keywords:
Social Work, Artificial Intelligence, Welfare State, Digital Vulnerability, Anti-oppressive Practice, Digital Social Work, EthicsAbstract
This review examines AI and the Disruption of Welfare: Challenges for Social Work Education and Practice (Ottmann & Noble, 2026), a collective volume that critically explores the impact of artificial intelligence on welfare systems, social work education, and professional practice. The book addresses key issues such as surveillance, algorithmic decision-making, digital inequality, data justice, feminist and decolonial perspectives, and the ethical implications of AI in social services. From an anti-oppressive social work perspective, the volume highlights the risks of coercive uses of technology while proposing pathways for strengthening participation, human rights, and ethical governance in the development and implementation of AI. Particular attention is given to the concept of digital vulnerability, which provides a useful framework for understanding the challenges of social integration and social welfare in increasingly AI-driven societies.
The review discusses the structure of the volume and highlights the diversity of topics covered across its twenty-two chapters, including the transformation of welfare systems, the role of algorithms in social services, digital surveillance, managerialism, ethical challenges, AI in education, gender and decolonial perspectives, co-design, and the implications of AI for professional practice and social work education. It also underlines the interdisciplinary nature of the contributions and their relevance for understanding the relationship between technology, power, and social justice.
Particular emphasis is placed on the book’s critical examination of AI as a social and political phenomenon rather than merely a technological innovation. The review argues that one of the main strengths of the volume lies in its capacity to connect theoretical reflection with practical experiences, offering a balanced analysis of both the opportunities and the risks associated with AI in social welfare. At the same time, it identifies as a possible limitation the need for a broader discussion of how digital challenges evolve across the life course and affect individuals, families, and communities in different social contexts. Overall, the book constitutes a timely and valuable contribution to contemporary debates on technology, welfare, inequality, and social work, providing useful insights for researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers interested in the ethical and inclusive development of AI.
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