Social barriers shape how people with visual impairments use conversational AI

Researchers in South Korea found that social barriers like prejudice and limited employment opportunities shape how people with visual impairments interact with conversational artificial intelligence.

The study involved 14 participants with visual impairments who engaged with an audio-based probe. This tool featured imagined dialogues between a blind user and a future conversational AI system.

The findings suggest that the experience of using these technologies is deeply tied to the social and structural contexts of the users rather than just technical capabilities. The research indicates that persistent social issues contribute to a lack of social visibility for people with visual impairments. These conditions influence both the perceived benefits and the limitations of conversational AI. The authors argue that developers must consider these socio-technical realities to create systems that promote social awareness and empowerment.