AI for inclusion: a powerful idea – under which conditions?!

Abstract

This opinion piece explores the social, organisational, and political conditions under which artificial intelligence (AI) can genuinely foster inclusion for people with disabilities and other marginalised groups. While AI shows clear potential in fields such as rehabilitation, education, and social care, it also faces structural and cultural barriers that hinder its meaningful adoption. Thus, the authors argue that technological innovation alone is insufficient; rather, AI must be understood as part of a sociotechnical system operating across three interrelated levels: individual (micro), organisational (meso), and societal (macro). Accordingly, the paper introduces and discusses three theses alongside the question “What does AI need in order to meaningfully support inclusion—and why is technological innovation alone insufficient?”. By reframing AI as a collective sociotechnical endeavour rather than a “miracle technology,” the paper highlights that meaningful sustainable inclusion emerges only when participatory processes, organisational readiness and socio-political frameworks interact productively.