From Disability to Possibility: Part 2

In this interview series with Anton Mirhorodchenko, a developer with cerebral palsy (CP), we explore how Anton uses AI as both a freelance developer and to innovate software for those with disabilities. In Part 1, Anton discussed his early experiences with AI, how he uses it to minimize physical effort, and his process with AI tools. In Part 2, Anton shares his thoughts on how people with disabilities can perceive and use AI.

Have you encountered any barriers or limitations using AI tools? How could tech be improved to better serve people with disabilities?

For me, the main constraint is hardware resources, both for inference and training. This issue is mainly solvable via cloud computation, online services, etc.

Taking a broader view, the problem lies in the complete lack of information on how AI can assist people with disabilities. This is a very specific field, and even I don't fully understand what format people need. I have been able to see the benefits, but many consider AI, at best, a toy. At worst, an enemy, because they either know little about AI or have encountered improper AI usage or had a personal negative experience.

What misconceptions about cerebral palsy do you find most frustrating? What do you wish more people understood about your experience?

I find any extremes to be destructive. For instance, when people underestimate or, conversely, lower the expectations for individuals with disabilities. Both extremes erode the individuality of a person with a disability, especially if they have been facing them since childhood. I am confident that the world has lost many brilliant individuals because they were not expected to achieve. Equally, the world has suffered from talents lost due to excessive demands, belittling of a person's achievements, and the imposition of the notion that their disability prevents them from living a normal life.

Informing people and fostering a balanced attitude towards individuals with disabilities is crucial. Support should only be provided in areas where a person is truly lacking. Worse than demanding what a person cannot do is denying them what they can do. Sometimes this can be in the form of direct prohibitions, but often it takes the shape of caring and might even be logically justified by those around them.

Due to the lack of information about successful individuals with disabilities, my parents chose a path of criticism and belittlement solely. Not because they were bad or wished harm, but because they didn't know of positive examples. Fearing that I wouldn't strive to develop, fearing that I couldn't live normally, they constantly reproached and criticized me. Unfortunately, this only slowed down my progress and made me less adapted to life.

I also frequently observe the opposite extreme. Nothing is expected of a person, they have no responsibilities. The individual loses all incentive to develop their personality and skills, to take responsibility for themselves and their loved ones.

To reiterate, I consider it very important for the attitude towards individuals with disabilities to be balanced and objective. Examples of successes and the lives of such people are also important. It's not just about the achievements themselves, but the journey a person has overcome, their decisions, and the problems they have encountered. A new stage is looming in my path, for example, and I cannot imagine living without constant family care. HOWEVER, I am confident that there are people who have overcome this, and their experience could help me. Likewise, my experience could be useful to someone.

Misconceptions? I think you're already familiar with them. These are forms of intellectual disability, genetic disorders, and so on. It's all quite common. Perhaps it's worth mentioning the misconception that cerebral palsy can be completely cured in 100% of cases. This misconception has shattered the lives of many. It spawns an endless search for a cure, accusations, pain, and suffering. Most importantly, it gives an illusory hope and takes away the determination to continually work on oneself, to support what cannot be improved, to enhance what can be, and not to lose hope even if things worsen.

How has leveraging AI impacted your communication, creativity, and career? Where do you hope this technology goes next?

Let's put it this way, AI has given me almost nothing. This is not a story about how a person without skills and knowledge suddenly turns into an expert. I already had a strong foundation, but there were many factors that made it extremely complex to manifest myself, my ideas, etc. AI precisely expanded my capabilities, simplified certain stages, and allowed me to unleash my potential more fully.

I believe that this formulation is important. AI is a very powerful tool, and how it is used depends solely on humans. Denying this and attempting to control AI development only shifts the responsibility.

Accurate emphasis is crucial in this context. For instance, to effectively harness AI, especially LLM, having expert knowledge is essential. It's important to promote this idea to avoid numerous issues. Similarly, several ethical dilemmas are being approached with technical solutions rather than through adapting to and educating society.