Can AI create a fairer future for persons with disabilities?
For millions of persons living with disabilities worldwide, artificial intelligence could be a game changer. At Purple Fest in Goa, entrepreneurs showed how AI is turning assistive technology into everyday empowerment. When designed with lived experience at its heart, AI tools like conversational screen readers, adaptive dashboards, and real-time captioning remove barriers and expand possibility.
Interactive: Assistive AI Tool Explorer
Tap a filter to see examples referenced in the coverage.
Conversational screen readers
Voice-led navigation and reading for documents and apps.
Live captions in meetings
Real-time text for calls and events, improving access at work.
Adaptive learning dashboards
Pacing and content adjustments for different learners.
Gesture-based wheelchair controls
Hands-free mobility through safe gesture input.
Visual description apps
Generated descriptions to interpret on‑screen or scene content.
Caption overlays for events
On‑screen captions to follow talks and announcements in real time.
Voices from Purple Fest
Surashree Rahane — Founder & CEO, Yearbook Canvas
“My mentors always said, don’t just seek jobs, create them.”
Work is ongoing with Newton School of Technology near New Delhi on inclusive academic design and AI‑based learning tools that adapt to each student’s pace. “AI can democratise access to education,” she says, “but only if we teach it to understand diverse learners. Otherwise, we risk building a shinier version of the same old bias.”
Prateek Madhav — CEO, AssisTech Foundation (ATF)
“While the world worries about AI taking jobs, for people with disabilities, AI is creating them.”
Ketan Kothari — Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged, Mumbai
“Today I can format a document, access meetings with live captions, and even generate visual descriptions through apps.”
Tshering Dema — UN Development Coordination Office
“This is not a single-country story – it’s a global transition. Inclusion isn’t only about laws or infrastructure; it’s about mindset and shared design.”
Quick Check
Related coverage on Karmactive
Context & sources
The coverage is based on reporting from the International Purple Fest, hosted by the Goan Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and partners, with events held from 9 to 12 October in Goa, India.
Background on accessibility in public transport can be found in Karmactive reports on access upgrades and elevator installations. Health‑tech context appears in coverage of e‑textiles and disease prediction models.
In brief
Statements from entrepreneurs and officials were presented, examples of AI tools were listed, event details for Goa were noted, and related resources were linked for readers.
