The promise of AI when lived experience leads
Artificial intelligence is not inherently equitable. Its impact depends on who designs it and whose needs are prioritized. When AI tools are built with lived experience at their heart—from conversational screen readers to adaptive dashboards and real-time captioning—they do more than remove barriers. They unlock agency, empower learning, and enable leadership. The right AI can turn access into opportunity, letting individuals learn at their own pace, contribute in ways that feel meaningful, and participate in communities that once overlooked them.
Avoiding a ‘shinier version of the same old bias’
discrimination and bias have long shadowed technology. Surashree Rahane, born with club foot and polymelia, speaks to the mindset shift needed in tech design. “Don’t just seek jobs, create them,” she says. “That’s how I learned that leadership itself is inclusion.” Rahane’s work as founder and CEO of Yearbook Canvas, which specialises in digital yearbooks for academic institutions, reveals how structural barriers—like inaccessible infrastructure, biased funding networks, and rigid education systems—persist even as technology advances.
To counter these barriers, Rahane is collaborating with Newton School of Technology near New Delhi to develop inclusive academic design and AI-based learning tools that adapt to each student’s pace. Her conviction is clear: “AI can democratise access to education, but only if we teach it to understand diverse learners. Otherwise, we risk building a shinier version of the same old bias.”
‘The great equaliser’: AI in daily life and work
From voice-to-speech assistance for speech-impaired individuals to gesture-based wheelchair controls, AI is progressively dissolving barriers that once defined what people with disabilities could or could not do. Prateek Madhav, CEO of the AssisTech Foundation (ATF), describes AI as “the great equaliser.” While some worry about AI’s impact on jobs, Madhav argues that for people with disabilities, AI is creating possibilities—industrial roles, creative positions, and leadership opportunities that align with their strengths and aspirations.
In Mumbai, Ketan Kothari, a consultant at Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged, demonstrates practical gains: “Today I can format a document, access meetings with live captions, and even generate visual descriptions through apps.” His experience highlights how AI translates imagination into function, turning potential into tangible work outcomes. When tools are designed to augment capabilities rather than replace them, the workplace becomes more inclusive and productive for everyone.
Building a future of inclusive design and shared leadership
The Purple Fest scene in India often spotlights entrepreneurs and business leaders advancing disability-inclusive technology. Yet, as Tshering Dema from the UN Development Coordination Office notes, this is a global transition, not a single-country story. Inclusion isn’t merely 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, ensuring that their insights shape tools, workplaces, and policies from the outset.
Practical steps toward an equitable AI-enabled world
Real progress rests on intentional design choices. Here are key actions organizations and educators can take today:
- Involve people with disabilities at every stage of product development, from discovery to testing to deployment.
- Adopt accessible-by-default design, including screen-reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and captioning in real time.
- Invest in adaptive learning platforms that tailor content to individual pacing, strengths, and preferences.
- Ensure funding and procurement processes recognize the value of inclusive tech and remove unintentional biases.
- Foster cross-sector collaboration to share best practices and scale successful models globally.
Conclusion: a shared vision for the future of work
AI holds immense promise when it is guided by lived experience and a commitment to inclusive design. The stories of Surashree Rahane, Prateek Madhav, Ketan Kothari, and Tshering Dema show that technology can move beyond token gestures toward real empowerment. If we design AI for disability inclusion as a core objective—placing accessibility, agency, and leadership at the center—we can build a future of work and learning where everyone can contribute, lead, and thrive.
