Critical reflection of AI applications for persons with disabilities in vocational rehabilitation

Abstract

Applications of artificial intelligence are increasingly being used to support work and learning in the workplace. Adaptivity and recommender systems, as key features of such innovative technologies, allow for enhanced personalization. Most notably, persons with disabilities may benefit from such technologies at work and during on-the-job training. Adapting such systems to very heterogeneous target groups, however, is not easily done. Implementing AI-based assistive systems in various educational settings in vocational training, especially in vocational rehabilitation, can also be challenging. This position paper looks at existing AI-based applications to analyze their potential for more inclusive workplaces and qualification processes. Furthermore, those technologies are discussed in the context of current ethical discourses to identify to what extent normative requirements are being reflected in existing AI-based applications.