The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) have released a new report titled "Building A Disability-Inclusive AI Ecosystem: A Cross-Disability, Cross-Systems Analysis Of Best Practices." This publication is part of their ongoing collaboration to ensure that people with disabilities are adequately represented in technology policy.
The report follows an earlier joint effort by CDT and AAPD in 2021, which highlighted tech issues disproportionately affecting people with disabilities. The current report provides detailed recommendations for disabled community members, disability rights advocates, government agencies, and private-sector AI practitioners. It aims to help these stakeholders benefit from AI technologies while minimizing associated risks.
Key areas of concern addressed include employment, education, government benefits, information and communications technology (ICT), healthcare, transportation, and the criminal legal system. Some topics expand on those covered in the 2021 report "Centering Disability in Technology Policy: Issue Landscape and Potential Opportunities for Action," while others introduce new considerations.
Despite a challenging climate marked by reduced federal regulatory ambition and growing anti-DEIA measures, CDT and AAPD emphasize the continued importance of including disability perspectives in AI development and regulation. They argue that even if federal agencies do not immediately adopt their recommendations, they will remain relevant for future efforts to create a more inclusive AI ecosystem.
The report underscores the unique discrimination risks faced by disabled individuals interacting with AI systems. Many such tools rely on pattern recognition within datasets that may not accurately represent or include people with disabilities. As a result, these technologies can inadvertently discriminate against them due to atypical physical characteristics or because they belong to multiple marginalized groups.
By addressing these concerns, CDT and AAPD hope to mitigate potential harms from technology-facilitated discrimination while encouraging innovation that supports the needs of people with disabilities.
Henry Claypool co-authored this report on behalf of AAPD. Readers interested in learning more can access the full document through appropriate channels.
