https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:4471 AI for One Welfare: the role of animal welfare scientists in developing valid and ethical AI-based welfare assessment tools Foris, Borbala Borbala Foris 0000-0002-0901-3057 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Sheng, Kehan Kehan Sheng Duernberger, Christian Christian Duernberger 0000-0002-1946-2905 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Oczak, Maciej Maciej Oczak University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Rault, Jean-Loup Jean-Loup Rault 0000-0001-6015-8318 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Frontiers Media Sa journal article open access eng The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in livestock farming is accelerating the development of automated welfare assessment tools, particularly with advancement in generative AI such as large multimodal models (LMMs). Yet, animal welfare scientists have rarely been involved in the development process of these tools or their subsequent adaptation within the field. Here, we discuss possible roles for animal welfare scientists in the development and validation of AI-based welfare assessment tools. We first examine key uncertainties that emerge during development, including the selection of relevant, valid and reliable welfare indicators and gold standards, hardware and software solutions for data collection, methods for integrating multiple welfare indicators, and the real-world impact of automated welfare assessment tools. Second, we demonstrate the use of LMMs to assess welfare based on a case study using dairy cow cleanliness. Finally, we consider the practical implementation of AI-based welfare assessment and discuss potential tensions around (1) embedded values in LMMs, (2) AI’s influence on decision-making on farms, (3) the integration of AI in current knowledge systems by human-AI collaboration, and (4) the economics of AI-based welfare assessment and improvement. We conclude that LMMs could help automate welfare assessment and communicate results to humans in accessible formats, but outcomes depend on which stakeholders are involved in the development process. We advocate for developing AI-based welfare assessment tools through the One Welfare framework, recognizing that AI deployment affects humans, animals, and the environment simultaneously, and suggest potential pathways for animal welfare scientists to engage in the process. Generative AI Large Multimodal Model AI Alignment Welfare Quality Animal Interests Precision Livestock Farming http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:4471/download 10.3389/fvets.2025.1645901 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Frontiers in Veterinary Science issn:2297-1769 VoR Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12 744.83 kB 2025