AFB Report Spotlights Impact of AI for Disabled People
Feb 06, 2025 - financialpost.com
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has released a report highlighting the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on people with disabilities. The study, titled “Empowering or Excluding: Expert Insights on Inclusive Artificial Intelligence for People with Disabilities,” gathers insights from 32 experts across technology, government, and nonprofits. It identifies over 30 key areas of agreement and outlines core principles for AI developers, advocates, and policymakers to consider, aiming to ensure AI technology expands access and inclusion for people with disabilities while mitigating risks. Key recommendations include human auditing of AI decisions in employment, increasing diversity in the tech workforce to address AI bias, and focusing on expanding access and inclusion in AI use cases.
The report emphasizes the potential of AI to transform various sectors such as education, employment, healthcare, and transportation, benefiting people with disabilities. It calls for collaboration among industry, advocates, and government to leverage consensus and develop policies that maximize AI's potential while minimizing risks. AFB plans to host a webinar on February 19th to discuss the report's findings further, targeting innovators in AI technology development. The full report is available on AFB's website, which also hosts the Helen Keller Archive and other resources for the visually impaired community.
Key takeaways:
The American Foundation for the Blind released a study on the impact of AI on people with disabilities, highlighting both opportunities and risks.
The report emphasizes the need for human auditing of AI decisions, particularly in employment, to prevent bias.
Diversity in the tech industry workforce is crucial to recognizing and addressing AI bias, including anti-disabled bias.
The principles outlined in the report aim to guide AI developers, advocates, and policymakers in expanding access and inclusion for people with disabilities.
