The benefits of generative AI in the workplace are numerous, from productivity gains in call centers to speeding up content development for marketers.

Yet so far, not many organizations have realized the potential of AI to support DEI initiatives and empower workers with disabilities. In our organization, the confluence of remote work (as a fully remote company) and AI opened doors for differently-abled workers to participate in work in new ways—and benefitted the entire company.

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently held a panel on how AI enhances work capabilities and performance for people with disabilities. Gartner’s Top Strategic Predictions for 2024 and Beyond predicts AI tools will positively impact neurodiverse workers, seniors, and other candidates. These are encouraging developments that offer numerous benefits, particularly in terms of fostering diversity and enhancing creativity.

In software development, tools such as Gemini (formerly Bard), ChatGPT, Copilot, and PHIND, powered by generative AI, have enabled blind workers to tackle challenges, experiment, iterate and deliver results faster than with traditional tools. AI has also increased their independence, boosted their confidence in taking on bigger projects, and improved their focus and collaboration while reducing stress and promoting well-being at work.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that by 2026, the U.S. developers’ shortage will exceed 1.2 million. The field of software development is a viable employment pathway for the visually impaired and could help bridge the divide between unemployment and labor shortages.

A survey by Stack Overflow found that almost 2% of respondents are blind. Blind software engineers have made significant contributions to society—developing screen readers and making digital technology more accessible. John J. Boyer, who was honored by President Barack Obama as a Champion of Change, developed Liblouis, an open-source software used worldwide to translate text into braille. Bernard Newcomb, a self-taught software engineer, helped found E*Trade.

At my company ActivTrak, visually impaired employees are the ones who spearheaded the integration of AI tools across our team, highlighting their transformative impact across the organization. This has made a significant positive impact on the review of design documents for edge cases and gaps, testing and commenting on the generation of source code, and building diagrams from plain text descriptions of software architectures.

AI can empower visually impaired software developers in today’s workforce, provided companies are willing to hire them. Whether you’re employing workers with visual impairments, or other disabilities, here are four ways to embrace and manage a diverse, differently-abled team using AI as a force multiplier.

TRUST AND EMPOWER PEOPLE TO DO THEIR WORK

Evaluate workers with disabilities based on their skills, experience, expertise, and references—just as you would any other hire. Similarly, provide resources and accommodations to ensure accessibility and empower workers to execute tasks effectively. In our organization, this includes provisions such as screen readers, Zoom with spoken content features, Readable, and a host of other AI tools tailored to their specific needs.

Empowerment goes beyond providing accommodations and requires an emphasis on autonomy and respect. In our case, policies that support a remote-first work culture remove barriers such as the need to drive or commute to an office and play a crucial role in fostering independence.

LISTEN AND EXPERIMENT

Like other community-driven software tools and websites, AI tools rely on ongoing contributions to enhance functionality and effectiveness. And like those tools and websites, it’s critical to include the feedback and contributions of visually impaired developers to ensure the accessibility and value of AI tools.

In our case, visually impaired employees initiated the adoption of AI tools and demonstrated their impact, encouraging their coworkers to do the same. This resulted in less time spent asking for help in Slack and Google, and more time spent in core developer tools—as well as enjoying more breaks.

While AI tools yield numerous benefits, they mustn’t inadvertently introduce new barriers or challenges. We found tool accessibility varied significantly by employee circumstances and job responsibilities. Conducting regular assessments and soliciting user feedback allows organizations to refine AI tool integration iteratively, ensuring ongoing compliance with accessibility standards and maximizing the benefits for all.

BALANCE ADVANTAGES AND RISKS

Like any new disruptive technology, AI has advantages and risks. Organizations must ensure that the AI systems they adopt have robust security measures to safeguard sensitive data against unauthorized access and breaches. And that they adhere to data protection regulations to maintain confidentiality and compliance.

On top of that, the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated outcomes must be evaluated before integrating them into business operations. This entails a thorough vetting process to confirm that the AI’s recommendations are correct and align with the company’s standards and objectives. By prioritizing these considerations, businesses can use AI technology to enhance operational efficiency without compromising data integrity or regulatory compliance.

EMBRACE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES AND NEW WAYS OF WORKING 

It can be easy to forget that accessibility isn’t universal. Team members must be mindful of others’ limitations and explore innovative solutions to ensure inclusivity.

Having visually impaired team members prompted us to find new ways to communicate and share knowledge. For instance, we learned that screenshots and slideshow presentations shared over Zoom were inaccessible via screen readers.

This led us to share text-based messages where we used to share screenshots and share presentations before meetings as an alternative to following a screen share. This experience raised our team’s awareness of the many mainstream technologies we take for granted, emphasizing the need for greater accessibility across all platforms.

In my experience, not hiring our visually impaired team members would have been a huge miss for our organization. Including disabled individuals in the workforce not only aligns with the principles of social responsibility but also catalyzes innovation, fosters creativity, and ultimately enhances the performance and success of an organization.

I hope more technology leaders find ways to leverage AI to strengthen the diversity and skills of their workforce the way we have, thereby tapping into the valuable contributions of employees spanning a wide range of disabilities.