In his new BBC Two documentary Seeing into the Future, comedian Chris McCausland challenges even the most ardent AI sceptics by showcasing how artificial intelligence is transforming life for blind people. McCausland, who lost his sight in his late teens and has been completely blind since around age 25, argues that AI offers unprecedented independence.
The documentary highlights practical applications, such as using AI to identify clothing. “I’ve spent a lifetime cutting labels so I know the one with a cut-off label at an angle is the blue one. With AI, you can just have it open and ask it,” McCausland explains. He also tests Meta's AI glasses at their San Francisco headquarters, using them to browse records and read menus without assistance.
McCausland's enthusiasm extends to driverless cars, which allow him to travel alone for the first time in decades. “I would love this to be matched up with something that allows me to navigate myself, and solve a problem I have, which is getting around and independence,” he says. At MIT, he tries bionic exoskeleton legs, and at the Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek lab, he learns about technology that could one day restore sight.
While McCausland does not directly criticise AI sceptics, his personal experiences make a compelling case for the technology's benefits. The documentary suggests that innovations once considered science fiction are closer to reality than many think.
