AI as a Pathway to Inclusion
Can artificial intelligence create a fairer future for people with disabilities? When built with lived experience at its core, AI tools like conversational screen readers, adaptive dashboards, and real-time captioning do more than remove barriers. They expand possibility, turning access into agency and enabling individuals to learn, lead, and contribute fully. This is not just a lofty ideal; it is a practical, evolving reality shaped by designers who listen to the lived experiences of disabled people.
Acknowledge and Design Against Bias
Advocates warn against a “shinier version of the same old bias.” Without thoughtful design, AI can replicate existing inequities in new forms. The risk is not a lack of intelligence in machines, but a misalignment between who guides AI development and who is affected by its decisions. Surashree Rahane, founder and CEO of Yearbook Canvas, emphasizes that inclusion must be intentional. Rahane, who was born with several physical disabilities, argues that leadership itself is a form of inclusion. Her experience underscores a broader point: technology that claims to be universal must be tested against real-life needs and barriers far beyond the lab.
Education and Work Reimagined
Education and work are two critical battlegrounds for accessibility. Rahane’s collaboration with Newton School of Technology near New Delhi focuses on inclusive academic design and AI-based learning tools that adapt to each student’s pace. “AI can democratise access to education,” she notes, “but only if we teach it to understand diverse learners.” When AI systems are trained on inclusive datasets and guided by educators who understand different modalities—speech, mobility, cognition—the result is a learning experience that is more responsive, personalised, and empowering. Without that focus, AI risks becoming a more attractive version of existing barriers rather than a true equaliser.
From Assistive Tech to Empowerment
Across India and beyond, AI-powered tools are turning once-permanent barriers into manageable tasks. Voice-to-speech interfaces support people with speech impairments, while gesture-based wheelchair controls enable smoother navigation in daily life. Industry leaders, like Prateek Madhav of the AssisTech Foundation, describe AI as a “great equaliser.” While public dialogue often centers on job displacement, many in the disability community are witnessing AI create new opportunities—roles that were previously inaccessible become real options through adaptive technologies, personalised coaching, and autonomous systems that support independent living.
Individual Stories, Global Impacts
Professionals such as Ketan Kothari of the Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged in Mumbai illustrate AI’s practical benefits. He can format documents, participate in meetings with live captions, and generate visual descriptions using accessible apps. These capabilities change not just how work is done, but who can do it, enabling people with disabilities to contribute ideas, lead teams, and influence outcomes with greater autonomy. The stories are not isolated; they signal a global transition in which inclusion is designed into technology rather than added as an afterthought.
Inclusive Mindsets, Shared Design
Experts at the Purple Fest—an event spotlighting Indian entrepreneurs and leaders—stress that inclusive progress requires a broader, shared design ethic. Tshering Dema of the UN Development Coordination Office reminds us that inclusion is not merely about laws or infrastructure. It’s about mindset and collaborative design: the future of work must be built not just for people with disabilities, but with them. That means inviting diverse voices into product development, policy conversations, and education reform so AI reflects the realities of daily living for people with a wide range of abilities.
Looking Ahead
AI has immense potential to reshape accessibility, but this potential hinges on intentional design, diverse data, and sustained collaboration among technologists, educators, policymakers, and disabled communities. By centering lived experience, we can shift from a promising technology to a practical force for equal opportunity—one that makes learning, leadership, and contribution truly possible for everyone.
