The AI Welfare State

As AI is introduced in public services, some potential risks include generation of false information, reliance on foreign AI infrastructure, misuse by malicious actors, exposure of sensitive data, and bias in automated decision making. By examining AI vulnerabilities, the researchers within the WASP-HS research environment The AI Welfare State provides a thorough analysis of how AI impacts society.

Vision

The vision of the AI Welfare State is to foster innovative interdisciplinary research on how AI shapes welfare provision. The cluster contributes by developing humane technologies and exploring how these technologies can interact in transformative ways that support people’s needs and capabilities.

Mission

The mission of The AI Welfare State is to:

• Foster cutting edge interdisciplinary research on welfare and AI with a specific focus on vulnerability.
• Build a national and international research arena for the study of AI welfare.

Kaun, A. & Männiste, M. (2025) Public sector chatbots: AI frictions and data infrastructures for equality and human flourishing? New Media & Society, 27(4), 1962-1985. https://doi-org.10.1177/14614448251314394

Liminga, A., Kaun, A. & Lomborg, S. (2025) Aiming at a moving target: how to research the automation of welfare. In: Galis, V. & Vlassis, V. (eds.) Digitalization, Data and Welfare: Sociotechnical Approaches to Service Delivery. Edward Elgar, p. 25-36. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035338153

Tanqueray, L., Larsson, S., & Winkle, K. (2026) In Search of Informal Caregivers in HRI: A Critical Narrative Review of HRI Conference Papers. International Journal of Social Robotics, 18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-025-01340-4