Sociologist: AI risks making care soulless without social scientists

Sanna Kuoppamäki, associate professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, warns that deploying AI in healthcare could become hollow mechanization if the field is left solely to engineers. Robots improve patient and caregiver wellbeing only when social scientists are involved from the development stage onwards.

AI has enormous potential in shaping the future of care, but developed without human values, it could render the entire sector soulless. This is the view of Sanna Kuoppamäki, associate professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, who has researched technology's role in social care.

According to Kuoppamäki, technical efficiency alone is not enough – robots and AI-based solutions deliver real benefits only when social scientists are involved from the start of their development. If care digitalization is left entirely to engineers, there is a risk that the sector will trade human connection for cold efficiency.

Why is the social scientist role crucial?

In care, people encounter technology during the most vulnerable moments of their lives – whether in elderly care, support for people with disabilities, or child protection. Implementing AI solutions in such contexts requires more than algorithmic precision: it demands understanding of how technology affects trust, dignity and human relationships.

Kuoppamäki emphasizes that involving social scientists from the development phase – not merely in later oversight roles – is essential. This way, new solutions can genuinely support the wellbeing of both patients and caregivers, rather than optimizing processes at the expense of human needs.

Balancing efficiency with humanity

This does not mean AI should be abandoned. On the contrary – applied intelligently, it can reduce caregiver burden, improve service accessibility and raise standards of care. The question is who creates these solutions, how they do so, and what values underpin the development work. Kuoppamäki's message is clear: in care, AI must be a servant, not a master.