5 Ways ChatGPT Is Empowering People with Disabilities As an entrepreneur diagnosed with ADD and LD-NOS, ChatGPT has been a beneficial tool that has allowed me to think beyond my abilities. Here are five ways ChatGPT can be used to empower disabled people.
By Devan Leos Edited by Micah Zimmerman
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our world in myriad ways, and one of its most significant impacts is on the lives of people with disabilities. AI-driven programs like ChatGPT are helping to bridge communication gaps, facilitate access to information and foster independence for individuals with various impairments.
While AI has many applications, today we will explore five ways AI is capable of helping people who disabilities may hinder work more efficiently and comfortably.
Related: What Is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Here Are Its Benefits, Uses and More
1. Cognitive enhancement
As someone who was diagnosed with ADD as a child, I have found AI to be a great tool for staying organized. For individuals with cognitive impairments, memory loss or conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), staying organized and remembering essential tasks can be a daily struggle. In these instances, artificial intelligence, particularly AI programs like ChatGPT, can serve as a valuable and personalized assistant. Some of the ways I have personally used ChatGPT that have personally helped me are:
- Customizable reminders: ChatGPT can be programmed to deliver personalized reminders for a wide range of essential tasks, such as taking medication, attending appointments, or completing daily chores. By tailoring these reminders to each user's specific needs and preferences, AI-driven chatbots can help users better manage their schedules and responsibilities.
Motivation and encouragement: In addition to providing practical organizational support, ChatGPT can be set up also to offer motivational messages and encouragement to users as they work towards their goals. This emotional support can be invaluable in helping individuals overcome challenges and stay committed to their personal growth and development.
Routine establishment: Establishing routines can be critical for individuals with cognitive impairments, as routines can provide structure and stability. ChatGPT can assist users in developing and maintaining daily, weekly or monthly routines, offering guidance and support to help them adapt to new habits and stay on track.
Related: What Does ChatGPT Mean for the Future of Business?
2. Enhancing communication
Communication is essential for everyone, and AI chatbots like ChatGPT can significantly improve it for people with hearing or speech impairments. By converting speech to text and vice versa, these chatbots enable seamless communication, allowing users to engage in conversations with ease and participate in social interactions they might have otherwise found challenging.
Various disabilities may hinder one's ability to communicate how they want to. However, GPT 4 is now available to the public and streamlining effective communication just got easier for everyone. People across multiple categories may have difficulty speaking, communicating effectively or expressing themselves properly.
However, with the assistance of AI, disabled people can utilize GPT4 to help them communicate more effectively, provide clarity and offer communicative insights that help disabled people efficiently express themselves and their ideas with ease.
3. Reading and writing assistance
AI chatbots can make reading and writing more accessible for individuals with visual impairments, dyslexia or fine motor skill difficulties. By reading aloud text-based content or providing writing suggestions, ChatGPT can help users compose emails, essays and other documents with greater ease and efficiency.
It is well known that AI is also a great writing tool and thus can help disabled people write easier. While some argue that AI is taking jobs away, some might see it as an opportunity to create more job opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalized people. As a business owner diagnosed with ADD, I can say that using AI has helped me with proofreading, spelling and writing.
Related: Employers Need Workers. Now They're Realizing The Untapped Talent of These People.
4. Personal reminders and organizational support
AI can be a valuable assistant for those with cognitive impairments or memory loss. ChatGPT can be programmed to remind users of essential tasks, such as taking medication, attending appointments or completing daily chores.
This support can be instrumental in helping users maintain their daily routines and stay organized. Isolation and loneliness can be significant issues for people with disabilities, especially those with mobility or communication challenges.
GPT-based AI technology can provide companionship through conversation, offering a listening ear and comforting responses. This interaction can be a source of solace and help alleviate feelings of isolation.
Related: Unlock the Powerful Gifts Your Disability Taught You About Being a Better Leader
5. Supporting education and learning
AI-driven programs can play a vital role in helping students with disabilities access education. By answering questions, providing explanations and offering alternative learning materials, ChatGPT can serve as an invaluable resource for learners who may require additional support or accommodations. Everybody learns differently, and as someone who has personally faced the challenges of a learning disability, I can affirm that the way I process information is different.
AI can assist as a resource of information, and GPT4 can break down information in different ways, depending on what is asked of it. For instance, you could ask chat GPT to help explain an idea or curriculum to somebody who has a learning disability in a specific way, or educators could use a guy to come up with creative ways to help people with learning disabilities excel.
Artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT can make a remarkable difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities (Myself included). By empowering people with enhanced communication, greater independence, and increased access to essential information and resources, AI is breaking down barriers and opening up new possibilities for those who may have previously faced significant challenges.
As we embrace AI technology and continue to explore its vast potential, we must remain committed to developing inclusive and accessible solutions that can help all members of our society thrive. By doing so, we can work together to create a more equitable and connected world where everyone has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their abilities.
One great way to think about the current capabilities of AI is instead of comparing it to a search engine, think about something like ChatGPT as a thinking engine, where instead of it merely being a means to discover and search for data, it is also a technology that allows users to search for ways to think. AI isn't perfect, but it certainly has positive use cases that have the potential to help those in need greatly.
