Dean Allan Cole established the Working Group on AI and Other Technologies, a group comprised of social work faculty and staff experts, to navigate the intersection of social work education, practice, and emerging technologies.

The workgroup aims to foster collaborative, forward-thinking conversations about integrating AI and other technologies in both classroom and practice settings while examining the implications and opportunities for current and future research.

Building knowledge through expert dialogue

The School has already hosted several discussions with leading voices in the field. In November 2024, Melanie Sage, Ph.D., from the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, shared her expertise during the week-long, campus-wide AI Live event. As co-author of the CSWE bestselling text, “Teaching Social Work with Digital Technology,” Sage offered valuable insights on implementing AI in social work education.

January 2025 brought Jonathan Singer, Ph.D., LCSW, from Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work, who presented “The Role of AI in Child Welfare and Community Organizing: Interview with ChatGPT-4o” — a thoughtful exploration of AI’s applications in critical practice areas.

In February 2025, Frederic Reamer, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Rhode Island College of Social Work and chair of the NASW Technology Standards Task Force, joined the Health Social Work Grand Rounds at Dell Medical School. His presentation addressed the ethical and risk management challenges posed by increasing AI use in behavioral health professions and health social work.

Extending the conversation

For a deeper dive into these discussions, Dean Cole’s podcast “Discourse” also features extended conversations with both Sage and Singer, offering perspectives on AI’s evolving role in social work. Sage joined Dean Cole for the Dec. 4 episode and Singer appears on the Oct. 17 episode.

The full AI workgroup includes:

Elisa Borah, Ph.D., MSSW
Esther Calzada, Ph.D.
Kasey Claborn, Ph.D.
Catherine Cubbin, Ph.D.
Anna Finger, LCSW-S
Rebecca Gomez, Ph.D.
Stacey Jordan, MSSW
Sarah Sloan, LCSW-S
Angela Standridge, MA
Andrea Tamez

The group will continue to advise on, research, and implement artificial intelligence in social work and social work education settings. Additional findings and collaborations from the workgroup are to come.