AI as a Catalyst for a Fairer Future
Artificial intelligence has the potential to reshape the lived experience of millions of people with disabilities. When AI tools are designed with lived experience at their heart—rather than as an afterthought—they don’t simply remove barriers; they expand possibilities. Conversational screen readers, adaptive dashboards, and real-time captioning can turn access into agency, enabling learning, leadership, and meaningful contribution in everyday life.
From Barriers to Agency: Real-Life Inspirations
Surashree Rahane’s story illustrates a powerful truth: leadership itself is a form of inclusion. Born with club foot and polymelia, she grew up in a family where disability was part of daily life. “My mentors always said, don’t just seek jobs, create them,” she explains. That mindset propelled her to found Yearbook Canvas, a platform focused on digital yearbooks for academic institutions. As she built her company, she encountered structural obstacles—unfriendly infrastructure, biased funding networks, and rigid education systems—that kept many talented individuals on the sidelines.
Rahane is now collaborating with Newton School of Technology near New Delhi to develop inclusive academic design and AI-powered learning tools that adapt to each student’s pace. “AI can democratise access to education,” she says, “but only if we teach it to understand diverse learners. Otherwise, we risk building a shinier version of the same old bias.”
AI as the Great Equaliser
Across sectors, innovators are reframing AI as a tool that levels the playing field for people with disabilities. Voice-to-speech assistants support those with speech impairments, while gesture-based wheelchair controls translate intention into action. Prateek Madhav, CEO of the AssisTech Foundation (ATF), calls AI “the great equaliser.” He notes that while some fear AI will replace workers, for many with disabilities, AI is creating opportunities—opening doors to jobs, entrepreneurship, and independence previously deemed unattainable.
Stories from Mumbai also underscore practical benefits. Ketan Kothari, a consultant at Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged, demonstrates how AI tools enable him to format documents, participate in meetings with live captions, and generate visual descriptions. “AI has turned imagination into function,” he says. This shift—from aid to autonomy—highlights how inclusive AI design can transform daily work without requiring people to adapt to rigid systems.
Designing with Inclusion, Not for It
The conversation about disability and AI is most compelling when it centers on inclusive design. Purple Fest’s emphasis on Indian entrepreneurs mirrors a broader truth: inclusion is not confined to geography. Tshering Dema of the UN Development Coordination Office reminds us that this is a global transition. Inclusion isn’t just about laws or infrastructure; it’s about mindset and shared design. The future of work must be built not just for people with disabilities, but with them.
When institutions involve learners and workers with disabilities in the design process, AI tools reflect real needs: readable interfaces, intuitive navigation, adaptive feedback, and privacy-conscious personalization. The result is a learning environment and workplace where barriers recede and people can lead, contribute, and innovate—on their own terms.
What a Fairer AI-Driven Future Requires
- Active involvement of people with disabilities in every stage of AI development, from problem framing to testing and deployment.
- Accessible core platforms—compatibility with assistive technologies, simple interfaces, and flexible interaction modes.
- Transparent data practices and bias checks to prevent “a shinier version of the same old bias.”
- Investment in inclusive education design and AI literacy for educators and students alike.
As the voices of Rahane, Madhav, Kothari, and Dema show, the path to a fairer future lies in co-creating AI with people who experience disability daily. When AI is grounded in lived experience, it becomes less about novelty and more about real possibility—transforming access into agency and opening a future where everyone can learn, lead, and contribute.
