AI Social Workers Gone Wrong: Why ChatGPT Should Never Decide a Child’s Future

Generative AI looks tempting: draft notes, flag risk, suggest placements. But tools like ChatGPT are probabilistic text engines, not evidence‑based decision‑makers. Treating them as informal “social workers” collapses the gap between drafting a note and deciding a child’s fate, importing unresolved AI risks into one of the most fragile systems in public life. ⚠️ Key warning: In child protection, “good enough” automation is not good enough. The bar must be closer to “failure is unacceptable.” 1.