Conference highlights the synergy between AI and the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of social security and in particular in the assessment of work capacity was the focus of the conference entitled "Shaping Tomorrow: AI in Social Security and Work Capacity Assessment". The event took place on 6 March and was organised by the European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (EUMASS) in collaboration with the Belgian Ministry of Social Affairs and supported by the Belgian Council Presidency of the European Union (EU).

In principle, the organisers of the symposium sought to link the topic of AI with the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR). The aim was to showcase the synergy between AI and the 20 principles of the EPSR and to contribute to an interdisciplinary dialogue to explore the opportunities and risks of AI in this area.

Challenges and potential

The four panel discussions focussed on different topics. After an introductory panel with the Belgian Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Dr Frank Vandenbroucke, the second panel discussion focussed on the topic of (health‑) data and AI in social security. The third panel discussion focussed on the challenges of using AI in social security and in the assessment of work capacity, while the fourth finally focussed on the benefits and future potential of AI for work capacity assessment.

Data plays a key role

There was agreement on the demand for access to representative data. AI applications are neither neutral nor objective by nature. They must be trained using large databases relevant to the problem. The added value of AI applications lies in the constantly improving analysis of large amounts of data. This would require comprehensive, up-to-date and, above all, representative data. Otherwise, there is a risk that AI applications will reinforce existing prejudiced decisions in the analogue world. In this context, the importance of the Directive for a European Health Data Space (EHDS) was also emphasised. In order to increase the potential of AI applications, in addition to access to existing social data, a systematic, standardised recording of the results of, for example, medical or occupational rehabilitation measures is also required.

AI in the healthcare sector

The conference generally came to the conclusion that AI should be seen as a transformative tool in the healthcare sector that could improve the accuracy of work capacity assessments and counteract existing inequalities in access to medical and occupational rehabilitation. Due to the susceptibility of AI-based applications to incorrect decisions due to a potentially incomplete or distorted data basis, all panellists agreed that the use of AI-based tools should be accompanied by an open mind, but should always be critically questioned.

Social impact of the AI Act

A number of aspects recurrently came up during the conference, including the EU AI Act and the topic of transparency. Although there are provisions on this in the AI Act, it is not always clear how AI-based applications reach decisions in the first place. The demand for transparency therefore runs the risk of amounting to nothing. Transparency and accountability are essential for public trust and thus the acceptance of AI applications. Following the adoption of the AI Act, the social impact should therefore be closely monitored. Furthermore, social partnerships and dialogue should not be lost sight of in order to discuss the use and expectations of AI.