Can AI Enhance Inclusion? A Participatory Approach to Defining and Evaluating New Technological Innovations

Maddalena Bartolini(a), Elena Ragazzi(a), Elia Moscoso Thompson(b), Caterina Rizzo(c), Alice De Luca(d), Monica Gori(d), Katia Lupinetti(b), Mauro Migliavacca(c), Lisa Sella(a), Michela Spagnuolo(b)
(a) CNR-IRCrES, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca sulla Crescita Economica Sostenibile, Italy
(b) CNR-IMATI, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di matematica applicata e tecnologie informatiche “Enrico Magenes”, Italy
(c) DISFOR, Dipartimento di Scienze della Formazione, Università di Genova, Italy
(d) IIT, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. Italy
corresponding author: maddalena.bartolini@cnr.it

Abstract
This paper examines whether and how participatory approaches can shape the innovation process in robotics and artificial intelligence to enhance the inclusion of sensitive user groups. Technological applications increasingly influence individual and collective well-being, yet design and assessment processes often prioritize technical performance over lived impact. Focusing on a case study from the PNRR-funded RAISE project – “Urban Technologies for Inclusive Engagement” – this study analyses the conditions, potentials, and limits of involving users across the project lifecycle: from problem framing and specification, through co-design and development, to post-deployment evaluation.
Three research questions guide the work: (1) Is a participatory approach feasible within technology-driven innovation projects in robotics and AI? (2) What are the implications of participatory methods for each phase of the project lifecycle (definition, development, implementation, evaluation)? (3) How does participatory design influence the inclusion outcomes for targeted, sensitive user groups? To answer these questions, the paper combines descriptive account of the interdisciplinary project experience with qualitative evaluation of processes and outcomes, drawing on stakeholder interviews, co-design artifacts, and impact observations.
By linking participatory practice to technological assessment, the paper argues that centering user needs enables more relevant and socially robust innovations, while also exposing trade-offs and constraints (e.g., resource demands, representativeness, and evaluation complexity). This study contributes empirical evidence and a reflective framework for researchers and practitioners seeking to integrate inclusion-oriented participation into robotics and AI innovation.

Keywords: Technology, User Center Design (UCD), Participatory evaluation, social inclusion, urban well-being

DOI: 10.23760/2421-7158.2026.005

ISSN (online): 2421-7158

How to Cite
Bartolini, M., Ragazzi, E., Moscoso Thompson, E., Rizzo, C., De Luca, A., Gori, M., Lupinetti, K., Migliavacca, M., Sella, L., & Spagnuolo, M. (2026). Can AI Enhance Inclusion? A Participatory Approach to Defining and Evaluating New Technological Innovations (CNR-IRCrES Working Paper 5/2026). Istituto di Ricerca sulla Crescita Economica Sostenibile. http://dx.doi.org/10.23760/2421-7158.2026.005

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