AI Systems May Reinforce Stereotypes About Intellectual Disabilities

Research examining popular AI systems found that they can reinforce stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities. Researchers from Special Olympics International and Oregon State University generated 25,000 stories using five AI models, covering everyday situations involving people with and without intellectual disabilities. The stories about people with intellectual disabilities were more likely to portray them as younger, dependent, supervised, and less involved in decision-making. The findings matter because AI-generated content is increasingly influencing how people encounter information and representations of disability. For accessibility and inclusion professionals, the results highlight the importance of examining bias and representation when developing or using AI systems. The researchers’ findings point to continued scrutiny of AI outputs as adoption expands.