Ethical Implications of AI-Driven AAC Systems: Ensuring Inclusivity and Equity in Assistive Technologies
School of Computing and Engineering, University of Derby, United Kingdom.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 24(01), 2576–2581
Publication history:
Received on 15 September 2024; revised on 27 October 2024; accepted on 29 October 2024.
Abstract:
This study investigates the ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration into Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, focusing on inclusivity, accessibility, and data privacy in assistive technologies. AI-driven AAC systems enhance communication for individuals with impairments by offering features like predictive text, speech recognition, and symbol-to-text translation. However, ethical challenges arise as these systems increasingly rely on sensitive user data, which could jeopardize privacy without strict safeguards. Furthermore, limitations in linguistic diversity within AI training data compromise inclusivity, potentially excluding users from varied cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Accessibility also remains an issue, as AI-driven AAC systems are often financially inaccessible for marginalized communities, exacerbating social inequities. Through a comprehensive analysis of current systems, including Proloquo2Go, Tobii Dynavox and Google’s Project Euphonia, this paper evaluates both the advancements and ethical shortcomings in AI-driven AAC technologies. The findings advocate for privacy-preserving AI practices, culturally diverse training datasets, and affordable AAC solutions to foster a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable digital communication environment.
Keywords:
AI-driven AAC; Inclusivity; Accessibility; Data privacy; Assistive technologies
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Copyright information:
Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0