When AI Erased My Disability

I love AI. It’s a powerful tool with incredible potential to revolutionize the way we communicate, create, and connect. From improving accessibility for people with disabilities, to helping businesses work smarter, to unlocking new forms of creativity, AI is reshaping what’s possible across every industry. Recently, however, when I experimented with asking AI to generate images of me, I was in for a rude awakening.

AI could generate a polished, professional look of me, or even transport me to a sunny vacation. But there was one glaring omission—the AI gave me two arms instead of one.

I was born without my left arm. Growing up, I faced challenges that many couldn’t imagine, but I also discovered a strength and resilience that became central to who I am. I went on to represent Australia as a Paralympic swimmer, and today, I advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. My story is not about overcoming my disability but about embracing it as an integral part of my identity. It shapes my perspective and fuels my passion for shaping a world where all forms of diversity are seen and valued.

Read More: How I Came to Love My Bionic Hand

When I request an AI-generated image, I want it to reflect all of me—including my disability. My disability is not something to hide or fix. It is a part of my identity, my strength, and my story. Until technology understands this, there is still work to be done.

AI bias occurs when artificial intelligence systems produce prejudiced or unfair outcomes due to biased data, flawed algorithms, or a lack of diverse representation in their design. When technology fails to include the full spectrum of human diversity, it risks perpetuating stereotypes and deepening societal divides.

One notable example of AI bias occurred with facial recognition technology, which was found to misidentify individuals with darker skin tones at disproportionately higher rates. In 2018, a study by MIT Media Lab revealed that commercial AI systems had error rates of up to 34% for darker-skinned women, compared to just 1% for lighter-skinned men. This stark disparity highlighted how a lack of diverse data and representation in AI development can lead to harmful and biased outcomes.

My story is just one example of how disabled voices can be erased when inclusivity isn’t built into the design. It’s not just about me; it’s about the broader narrative of disability being left out of the picture—literally and figuratively.

AI has the potential to break down barriers and enhance accessibility, but only if diversity and inclusion are built into its core. This requires involving disabled people—not as an afterthought, but as key contributors to innovation.

What saddened me most was realizing how much potential we had to change the narrative from the very beginning. Yet, AI is merely holding up a mirror to our current society, reflecting back its biases.

Ironically, my initial fear of AI was that it would become “too intelligent” or “too specific.” But now, I find that specificity is exactly what I want. I don’t want generalized experiences or interactions—I want AI to be tailored to me.

I decided to ask AI to generate an image with explicit prompts to include my disability. But even then, it seemed too difficult for AI to simply reflect who I am in its images. So, I asked AI why it was so hard to simply create my image.

The response:

We have an opportunity to change this narrative. While AI is still being developed and refined, now is the time to build it through the lens of diversity and disability. This is a pivotal moment where we can alter the trajectory of deeply entrenched social constructs. It is an extraordinary and exciting prospect—but only if we act now.

Imagine if AI-generated images depicted people using a wheelchair, a prosthesis, or with any other visible indication of disability—without needing to be asked. Imagine if AI gave everyone that option by default.

How incredible would it be if we could train AI to challenge social perceptions of disability—not by request, but by design? The bias emerges because we assume everyone wants to “improve” their image, and disability isn’t seen as an option because it is always viewed as “less than.”

Disability is not a problem to be solved but a perspective to be valued. By embedding lived experience into the design process, AI can move beyond simply reflecting societal norms to actively reshaping them, creating a world where everyone is seen, heard, and represented authentically.

AI shouldn’t just reflect our society; it should help shape a more inclusive one. The result is not just better technology but a more equitable society where innovation serves all.