Refers to AI designed or used to produce positive outcomes for people, communities, and the larger society. Depending on the setting, prosocial AI may help strengthen human relationships and social networks; support human agency and cooperation; improve access and inclusion; or contribute to health, community, social, or environmental well-being. The concept shifts attention from what AI can do to the effects it has on people and society. A prosocial approach considers whether its use strengthens or diminishes human relationships, opportunities, decision-making, and well-being.

In terms of context, this is still an emerging term and does not yet have a single widely accepted definition. It is being used in several areas:

• In education and career development: used to describe technology that helps students build and maintain human connections; e.g., relationships with school counselors, mentors, peers, professionals, and others who can provide information, advice, and access to opportunities.
• In health care: has been discussed as an approach to improving access to services, reducing disparities, and supporting more inclusive care.
• In government and public services: has been applied to questions about whether AI systems support human agency, fairness, well-being, and public benefit.
• The term also appears in international development and planetary ecosystem work, where it encompasses broader social and environmental outcomes.

These uses share a general premise, that AI should be considered not only for what it automates or makes more efficient, but also for how it affects people, relationships, communities, and society.