assistive technology

Donald Clark has posted about how many people are using AI as assistive technology.

Time and time again, someone with dyslexia, or with a son or daughter with dyslexia, came up to me to discuss how AI had helped them. They describe the troubles they had in an educational system that is obsessed with text. Honestly, I can’t tell you how often I’ve had these conversations. —Plan B: 2024-08-15

Donald goes on to cite several types of assistive technology.

Text-to-Speech & Speech-to-Text Tools

Grammar and Spelling Assistants

Comprehension Tools

AI in Note-Taking

Visual and Multisensory Tools

Translation

Chatbot assistants

AI-Powered Personalized Tutors

AI Accessibility Features in Devices

For the most part, these are what would have been called performance support tools 20 years ago. These tools are similar to the advent of computer spreadsheet programs like VisiCalc, Lotus 123 or MS Excel. While powerful, useful, and ubiquitous, they did not create a new trillion dollar industry. Generative AI, is in a similar situation. The tools are useful but will the billions in GenAI investment be recuperated or will there be a rude awakening?

I am glad to see this type of AI used as assistive technology, especially helping marginalized communities. I also am a bit more optimistic that this technology will be mostly on our devices and not using massive energy-consuming data centres.

Hope springs eternal …