How AI helps Richard live independently

Artificial Intelligence can feel daunting, but for blind veteran Richard it has become a practical tool for everyday independence. Here, Richard shares how AI helps him navigate life with sight loss, in his own words.

A life in the Services was all I’d ever wanted. So when I left school and joined the Royal Navy, I was full of excitement about the 22 years ahead of me. Then, aged 19, my eyesight disappeared overnight. I was medically discharged, and my world fell apart.

I was taken to St Dunstan’s, now Blind Veterans UK. I won’t dwell on the nights I cried myself to sleep, but it was there that I began a journey that would eventually take my life and career far beyond anything I could have imagined.

Mobility training gave me back my confidence. Technology showed me what was possible. Everyday tasks that had become daunting and dangerous, gradually became manageable again. Just as importantly, the spirit of the charity and the people within it rekindled that military mindset in me: the belief that nothing was going to beat me. And it hasn’t.

How AI helps in everyday life

Artificial intelligence is often talked about in terms of business or the future of work. But for people with sight loss, it’s already making a real difference in everyday life. The key thing to understand is that it isn’t difficult to use.

Live video in apps such as Google Gemini and ChatGPT uses your smartphone’s back camera, allowing AI to describe what’s in front of you as you talk to it. There’s no typing involved.

When I set the oven, for example, I point the camera at the temperature knob and use my finger to show the AI exactly which dial I mean. I ask where 200°C is and get it to describe the position using a clock face. As I turn the knob, I ask again: “Is that now pointing to 200?” It tells me whether I need to adjust it slightly up or down.

A tool for independence

Whether at home or at work, AI can identify the colour of clothes, describe rooms, read signs or menus and explain what’s around me. AI gives me so much more independence. Of course, AI is no replacement for human support, rehabilitation or good judgement. But I've found it can be truly transformative.

Most importantly of all, you don't need to be a technology expert – you just need to be willing to give it a try.