Project funded by the European Artificial Intelligence & Society Fund
Survey and literature review 2023
Artificial Intelligence and the Rights of Autistic People (AIRA)
AIRA is a three-year project (2023-2025) with the goals of mapping the uses of artificial intelligence that affect the lives of autistic people, and building up the capacity of autistic people to advocate for themselves.
The AIRA (Artificial Intelligence and the Rights of Autistic people) project recognises the transformative potential of AI and its impact on autistic individuals. This survey is a pivotal component of our mission to empower the autistic community in Europe to advocate for themselves in the era of AI.
The preparation of a multi-language survey for this was completed in 2023, in collaboration with Professor Ilse Noens from the Belgian university KU Leuven. The results will be used in the next stages of the project, integrating the information into training materials for autistic activists.
For more information:
Read the article about the first project year.
Questions or comments?
You can contact the project team by sending email to aira@eucap.eu.
Literature review
The team
Literature on AI and autism was mapped by three autistic researchers from three countries: Khiah Strachan from Scotland, Imke Heuer from Germany and Kat Van der Poorten from Belgium.
“If AI is being developed for autistic people, to make it as ethical as possible, we should be involved.”
Khiah Strachan
In their preliminary report, the team noted that over the past eight years there has been an exponential increase in the number of articles focusing on AI-based approaches to autism. They identified a total of 1070 articles, grouped into four libraries based on the main themes. Diagnosis was by far the most common theme, with over 500 articles.
Overall, research involving AI and autism is largely focused on the application of machine learning algorithms to identify biomarkers and brain features associated with autism, as well as the development of AI-based diagnostic tools with the intent to facilitate early detection and intervention.
Among the 139 articles on interventions that the team identified, the emphasis was on robot assisted therapy, wearable AI technology, and AI assisted mobile applications. The team’s impression was that the majority of AI interventions included in this review focused on “lessening autistic behaviours” or “curing” autistic people rather than improving quality of life.
“I feel AI will play a crucial role in respect to the practice of diagnosing autism, to interventions, to research in general, but also in respect to policy issues such as access to health care. This is going to have a huge impact on autistic persons — and thus, the autistic community needs to have a voice in this field.”
Imke Heuer
Biomedical research involving AI and autism should follow ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks to ensure the ethical and responsible use of data, protect the rights and dignity of autistic individuals, and minimise the potential harms associated with data breaches or misuses. Such guidelines were not obvious in the included articles, and may in some cases be lacking completely.
The researchers also commented on the lack of autistic people as research partners and co-creators of AI-based tools and interventions, as well as in the design and evaluation of research studies, and suggested that the autistic community could provide valuable feedback on the usability, accessibility, and effectiveness of novel tools and approaches.
“Incorporating feedback from the autistic community into the design, development, and use of AI systems can lead to more inclusive, effective, and ethical AI technologies that benefit everyone. Autistic individuals can provide valuable insights into how AI systems impact us, as well as how to design AI systems that are accessible and accommodating to us.”
Kat Van der Poorten
