KIDaS: FAU-coordinated project makes social services more transparent with AI.

People who need social assistance in Germany often have to wait a long time, even though suitable services are available in a number of places. The KIDaS research project aims to change this. With an AI-powered data platform, social services can be found more quickly, coordinated better, and developed strategically. KiDaS is a collaborative project coordinated by FAU and aims to improve support for people in difficult life situations at the same time as significantly relieving social workers. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space with more than 1.9 million euros, with approximately 770,000 euros going to FAU.

From care and parenting counseling to everyday support, such as meals on wheels and shopping assistance, to support for debt or addiction issues, many social services in Germany have so far been difficult to find or are poorly coordinated. For clients, this often means long waiting times, unclear responsibilities, and assistance that could be better aligned with their situation. Meanwhile, municipalities and social welfare organizations invest billions each year in integration and social assistance benefits. KIDaS is designed to address this imbalance as an AI-powered data platform for social services which launched in early 2026.

It builds on a long-standing collaboration between academia, social administration, and partners from industry. The three-year research project is coordinated by the FAU Chair of Digital Industrial Service Systems at the School of Business, Economics and Society. At the heart of KIDaS is the development of a digital platform that improves coordination between welfare associations, counseling centers, social institutions, and those seeking help. The platform is intended to make visible which social services there are, what capacities are available, and which services match an individual’s needs, ensuring that social assistance reaches the right people.

“We want to use KIDaS to help ensure that social assistance reaches those who need it more quickly. “This is precisely where we see digitalization benefiting society” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Martin Matzner, holder of the Chair of Digital Industrial Service Systems at FAU and project manager for KIDaS. To date, social workers often have to painstakingly research which facilities have available slots or which services might be suitable for a specific case. Smaller associations and social initiatives, in particular, often lack the resources to regularly maintain their services in databases or portals.

This is why KIDaS relies on generative AI: AI agents can automatically collect, update, and structure information for KIDaS. Employees then only need to review and approve the data. “Above all, we are improving the situation for people who need support,” says Dr. Martin Käppel, postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of Digital Industrial Service Systems and project manager. “They should receive appropriate help more quickly and feel more included, rather than getting lost in the system.”

Targeted support for professionals

Another project component is the “Service Radar”. The platform analyzes publicly accessible information from self-help forums or social media, to identify societal trends and emerging support needs early on. “During the pandemic, for example, this approach meant that we could detect increasing demand for psychological support or services to combat loneliness at an earlier stage,” emphasizes Martin Matzner.

We want KIDaS to help ensure that social assistance reaches those who need it more quickly. This is precisely where we see digitalization benefiting society.

Prof. Dr. Martin Matzner

The researchers emphasize that AI is not intended to replace human decisions, it should rather be used for targeted support by professionals as a basis for better decision-making. “Trust in state and social institutions is built primarily when assistance works and people feel they are being taken seriously,” says Matzner. “Especially in light of skilled labor shortages and increasing demands, we need intelligent tools that relieve employees while also improving the quality of social services.”

Making social support more accessible

In the long term, KIDaS is intended to not only provide a better overview of social services nationwide but also promote innovations in the social sector. Project partners include the University of Kassel (Department of Information Systems, Prof. Dr. Jan Marco Leimeister), ANLEI Service GmbH as a subsidiary for application systems and IT in the social administration of Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen (LWV), and the IT company Dataciders PRODATO. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space as part of the “Value in Data Ecosystems: Competition – Communication – Cooperation” initiative, abbreviated as “DigiNutzenDat.”

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