Blind and partially sighted individuals are being left out of the advantages of artificial intelligence tools, facing "a new level of discrimination, " according to Tom Pey, the new president of the Royal Society for Blind Children. He advocates for improved design of various technologies, including video games and AI agents. Pey, who lost his sight as a child and developed the Waymap app for audio navigation, said these technologies further distance blind children from their non-disabled peers. With the rise of visually based AI systems like Meta’s spectacles and Google Lens, blind individuals face challenges as these rely on visual interaction. Pey urged Technology Secretary Peter Kyle to create laws supporting the needs of disabled individuals and guiding companies and startups to be inclusive. Pey pointed out that much AI hardware is visually oriented, ignoring the requirements of blind people and those struggling with visual interpretation. Research from the Royal National Institute of Blind People shows that sight loss individuals are less likely to use the internet daily, more likely to be digitally excluded, and less likely to own smartphones. However, digital exclusion is decreasing, and AI technology is becoming more accessible. In response, tech companies like Google, Meta, and OpenAI highlighted initiatives aimed at assisting blind and partially sighted people.

In September, Meta launched a feature with Ray-Ban glasses that connects users to sighted volunteers who provide real-time descriptions. OpenAI developed a virtual volunteer offering audio descriptions and interactive conversations using Chat GPT-4, tested by the Be My Eyes app. Google’s AI-powered Lookout app describes photos and reads out text for those with low vision. Despite these efforts, Pey noted that blind youth still face a widening gap from their non-disabled peers in terms of experiencing games, alternative realities, and AI-driven visual technology. He described this as "a new level of discrimination, " preventable with thoughtful design. Pey emphasized that designers need to recognize and address the needs of disabled individuals proactively.