What organizations can learn from disabled and neurodivergent employees as they adopt artificial intelligence

🤪 No one seems to be talking about #AI, so I thought I'd start the conversation 🤭 

Okay, I know I'm entering a conversation where everyone seems to have an opinion. That being said, I've noticed that a lot of what is being said has overlooked the valuable knowledge #disabled people can bring to AI adoption strategy. 

🤖Much of the current conversation focuses on AI replacing jobs or increasing productivity and far less attention is being paid to the fact that many disabled and #neurodivergent people have been using technology to overcome barriers, customize how they work, and increase accessibility for years. 

Disabled and neurodivergent people have been adapting technology to work in environments that weren't designed with them in mind forever.

🖥️ Screen readers

🗣️ Speech to text

🧏‍♀️ Alternative communication tools

⚙️ Automation

In many ways, they have been early adopters of the very mindset organizations now need: using technology to augment human capability rather than replace it.

As organizations rapidly roll out AI tools, #accessibility is often treated as an afterthought instead of a design principle. If organizations want AI to improve innovation, productivity, and employee performance, disabled and neurodivergent voices need to be part of the conversation from the beginning.

📎 So what can leaders learn from the disability community as AI reshapes work?

🔓 First, recognize that AI is more than a productivity tool. For many disabled and neurodivergent employees, AI can improve accessibility by reducing administrative burden, supporting communication, generating alternative formats, and helping people work in ways that better align with their strengths. When implemented thoughtfully, AI can remove barriers instead of creating them.

🤝 Second, involve disabled employees in AI strategy and policy development. They bring valuable expertise in accessibility, adaptive technology, and designing systems that work for a wider range of people. The people most affected by new technologies should have a voice in shaping how they are implemented.

 🔙 Finally, build accessibility into AI from the start rather than trying to retrofit it later. Organizations that consider diverse needs early create better tools, better employee experiences, and ultimately better outcomes for everyone. Inclusive design doesn't just benefit people with disabilities. It leads to products, processes, and workplaces that are easier for everyone to use.

The organizations that get the most value from AI will have the broadest perspective on how people actually work.

🧐 Question for leaders:

Who has a seat at the table when you're making decisions about AI?