Talk with the blind Steve Weidel on the Role of A.I. for digital Accessibility

This is the transcript of the German-language interview with Steve Weidel. Steve is currently founding a company focusing on AI and accessibility and is blind. All inaccuracies and typos are my responsibility.

about Steve

Domingos: So welcome to a new podcast on digital accessibility. Today I have another exciting guest, Steve Weidel. Thank you for taking the time for the podcast. As always, Steve, we'd like you to introduce yourself to the listeners.

Steve: Yes, of course. First of all, thank you for letting me be here. Yes. My name is Steve Weidel, I'm 36 years old, I come from Hamburg and have been disabled since birth. Yes, I'm very active in the technical field, I also have many interests, music, AI and many other technical areas.

Domingos: Can you tell us a little bit about your visual impairment?

Steve: I have been visual impaired since birth, very limited, but at the beginning it was still relatively good, I could still write in cursive at times, work with magnification, but that got worse over the years due to the retinal detachment I had and then I started learning braille, switched to computer braille, learned to work with screen readers and have been familiar with this whole topic for over 17 years now.

Domingos: So you work on the computer mostly blind now?

Steve: I work completely blind, I actually only work with screen reader, unfortunately magnification no longer works.

AI for more independence

Domingos: The topic we met about is AI. Maybe you can tell us how you came across the topic of using AI and what your connection to the topic is.

Steve: With pleasure. Well, I have always been interested in technology, and when the topic of AI came up, it fascinated me immediately. From 2022 onwards there was this huge hype, and that's when I got involved with it straight away. I quickly noticed how much AI can speed up work. For us, it really brings enormously important advantages, it can steer processes in completely new directions or remove obstacles. Through my technical interest, which of course includes AI, I have discovered in recent years how effectively you can work with it - even if there are of course some limitations.

Domingos: What is your connection to digital accessibility?

Steve: I have been dealing with the topic for a very long time, as I learned early on how to use various programs and have dealt intensively with websites. I quickly noticed which websites are easy to use and which are not. Three years ago I spoke briefly about the topic with a colleague who has a podcast because it was about website audits. I found it so exciting that I looked into it in depth. I researched a lot of things, tried them out and acquired new knowledge that I combined with my previous experience. This created a really good foundation, which is why I now want to focus more on the topic of digital accessibility. I think we have a good perspective to specifically identify barriers, test them sensibly and implement them successfully.

A company for AI

Domingos: Exactly, you are currently employed, but you are still planning to start a company. Perhaps you can tell us a little bit about what you plan to do with it.

Steve: I have been dealing with the topic for a long time because I started using different programs early on and looking around at websites. I quickly noticed which websites are easy to use and which are less so. About three years ago, I spoke briefly about the topic with a colleague who does a podcast - it was about website audits at the time.

I was so fascinated by this that I started to look into it more intensively. I researched a lot, tried things out and acquired new knowledge, which I combined with my previous experience. This combination has proven to be very helpful. That's why I want to actively promote the topic of digital accessibility, because I am convinced that we have a good perspective to effectively identify barriers, test them sensibly and implement them successfully. Another important point is that we try to combine the whole thing with AI, as this topic is becoming more and more relevant. AI agents are increasingly being developed and used, be it in the form of chatbot applications or telephone agents.

That's why it's crucial to focus more on the topic of digital accessibility. I've noticed that many systems work well at first glance, but on closer inspection they have barriers that not all users can overcome. This presents challenges that we should definitely address. I think it's particularly important to play an active role in shaping the future in this area. That's why I want to focus the company on developing solutions for AI applications - whether through our own programming or by subsequently optimizing existing systems.

Domingos: What potential do you see in general in the topic of AI for blind people, that's our specific topic.

Steve: Exactly. I think that the topic of AI opens up completely new doors for us. There are an incredible number of possible applications, but to give two examples: the use of AI for real-time translations or real-time descriptions of objects is an area that is currently gaining in importance.

Real-time communication and the transmission of screens in real time are also incredibly exciting topics. I have a VPN that I can use to test such functions, and I discovered that there are already options for having screen contents described in real time. I have already tried this, and it works surprisingly well.

There are also numerous options in this area that can be further developed in the future.

Exactly. What we must not forget is the possibility of automating processes that were often cumbersome or difficult to use in the past. These can be made much easier in the future through automation.

And last but not least, I would like to address the topic of sign language interpreters. There will be more avatars in the future, and I know that work is currently being done on AI models that can independently implement sign language - for people who depend on this form of communication.

Current challenges for blind people

Domingos: Just as you said, you've tried out a few tools, what problems did you encounter when using them? Not just what the tools can do, but also the challenge of using the tools.

Steve: Yes, there are actually some exciting use cases. For example: A few weeks ago I tried out a tool that has less to do with the usual AI tools that you use in everyday life. It was a tool from the music sector that lets you clone voices for songs or adjust your own voice using AI to better integrate it into songs. That sounded really exciting, and the results are often impressive.

But I realized that I could hardly use the tool myself. Although I could log in and move around the platform a bit, there were neither named buttons nor a clear overview of the user interface. You can't get any further without sighted support. This shows that the usability of such tools is a real challenge, even if the results are promising.

We just talked about automation. I'll explain this briefly using a small example. If, for example, you want to program an AI agent, i.e. a voice agent, it is basically feasible. For example, you could use a platform like Vapi, on which you can create and train the agent. I tried it out - on several operating systems - and found that it works so-so. It is feasible, but the operation could definitely be better. To be honest, it's not really fun.

It becomes particularly critical if you not only want to create the AI ​​agent, but also want to integrate automation, such as linking it to a calendar. Another tool that could be mentioned is Make or Satea - these are automation platforms. With these tools, many things can be implemented quickly and easily. The problem, however, is that these platforms are difficult for us to use. Make is a very widely used platform, but I've found that it doesn't work properly. You can't create a scenario and the navigation is very confusing. These are definitely things that need to be improved. There are many other examples, but this is another one that stands out.

Domingos: Do you actually contact the platform providers and communicate it or do you not have time for that?

Steve: Yes, I like to do that. So, I wrote to Make's support and they were also very nice. They replied that they thought my feedback was great and would look into it. Then I followed up and said that it might be useful to test the whole thing to see how accessible the platform really is - and that from the perspective of a user who works with a screen reader. Because theoretical knowledge is one thing, but the actual use cases are something completely different. Unfortunately, there was not much in response, except that they would look into it. That could happen this year, but maybe not until ten years from now - or it might not happen at all. That was a pretty vague answer. I usually check back after a certain amount of time to see if anything has changed.

Domingos: I don't know how you observe it, but from what I've observed, the blind community is generally a bit sluggish, I would say, when it comes to using new technologies. In the German community, I also observe that they largely ignore the topic of AI.

Steve: Well, the people I'm in contact with are honestly less reserved - most are fascinated by AI and try to use it.

What I've observed, however, is that many people with disabilities have difficulty using it. They would like to use AI and try to do so, but often find it difficult - either because they are older or because they lack certain skills that are required to use it.

Some people work differently with a screen reader, for example, or simply need more practice in practical use.

I notice this particularly with smartphones: There are people who say they would like to use AI and have mastered some functions, but have problems with navigation, certain apps or AI applications such as ChatGPT. Some find it fascinating, but don't know how to get started - how to set up an account, communicate with the AI, activate voice mode or scroll through the answers. I see hurdles like this again and again.

Domingos: Do you think it will improve now that Apple is integrating it into its ecosystem?

Steve: Yes, let me put it this way. Apple is integrating the new ones into the new ecosystems, at least according to my current status, and I do think that it will be used more there. I could imagine that. It would just be important. You just have to keep an eye on it. There are people who just don't want to use it, they just say no, I'll keep working as before because I'm fine with it, so they have their comfort zone, which is completely fine, and of course they have a hard time with new things and I can understand that, because one of them says they're now working with AI. But I do think that when Apple introduces it, that it will gradually change. I think it will just take time. Because.

Domingos: Yes, we talked about AI glasses very briefly. I think there is certainly greater potential at the beginning, and there are the MetaGlasses and I think a few other less well-known ones, and the OrCam or Envision have been accepted as aids. What potential do you see there?

Steve: The potential is enormous - not just in terms of what is still to come, but also for technical development. That's exactly what I find particularly exciting and I would like to get involved in such developments myself in the future. However, it is a very specific topic that we can come back to later.

Let me put it this way: The potential is huge, especially with the Meta Smart Glasses. These have an incredible number of possibilities, but are currently only available in English - there is no German update yet. I will take a closer look at them soon. There is also a competing product from Solos, if I am not mistaken. You have to order that online, though, as it is not readily available. With Meta, on the other hand, you can go to Ray-Ban and have the glasses demonstrated to you. Overall, I see enormous potential here.

Domingos: It is definitely exciting. Well, I would like to ask you in conclusion, where can we follow you?

Steve: Well, we have a profile on LinkedIn, where we are well represented. The website is currently under construction, but you will be able to access it in the next few weeks. And if you would like to get in touch, especially if you have questions or if it is about accessibility, AI solutions, AI optimization, then please get in touch.

Steve Weidel on Linkedin

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