Improving the Accessibility of Online Government Services

Accessing government services has often been a challenge for those with a disability, and their carers and supporters. Moving many of the available services online and to mobile apps has made things better in many cases. However, people with a disability often have specific needs that generic technical solutions and approaches do not support effectively. Sometimes new policy approaches and technology solutions make things worse, not better.
Artificial Intelligence tools and platforms offer the opportunity to leverage modern technologies and ways of working to make accessing these important government platforms easier. These tools have a range of features that include voice-activated interfaces, predictive capabilities, screen reader compatibility, and simplified navigation for users with varying disabilities.
How might we design inclusive digital solutions that simplify access to government services for citizens with disabilities, ensuring equal and seamless access to information, forms and assistance?


High-Level Questions:

1. Leveraging AI for better outcomes for people with a disability: How can AI be applied in such a way that it provides simpler, easier and more effective access to key government services for people with a disability?
2. Supporting the carers: How can AI tools be used to provide additional support to those who care for and support people with a disability?
3. Preventing disadvantage: What frameworks or guidelines should be established to ensure that AI applications do not disadvantage those living with a disability?
4. Engaging with stakeholders: What approaches should be taken to engaging with people with a disability when designing these new systems so that all of their needs are met?
5. Building Public Trust: How can governments build and maintain public trust in AI-driven systems that provide additional support to those living with a disability?
6. Future Adaptations: What are the emerging trends and technologies in AI that could further improve accessibility to government services and online platforms for people with a disability? How can governments proactively adapt to these advancements while ensuring that AI continues to serve the public interest effectively?

Analyse and Innovate: Examine each high-level question and develop innovative AI-driven solutions or strategies. Your proposals should specifically address the improvement of access to government services and technology platforms for those living with a disability, and their carers and supporters.

Comprehensive Plan: Design a detailed model or plan that integrates AI to access and outcomes for people with a disability. Ensure your plan addresses accessibility, ethical, privacy, and trust concerns while being practical and implementable.

Concrete Examples: Include specific examples or simulations to illustrate the effectiveness and potential impact of your proposed solutions. Demonstrate how your solution can be scaled or adapted to a range of scenarios.

Presentation and Prototype: Prepare a presentation summarising your solution. If possible, include a working prototype or simulation to showcase the practical application of your concept.

Collaboration and Feedback: Engage with mentors and peers during the hackathon to refine your ideas. Incorporate feedback to enhance the feasibility and impact of your solution.

While enterprises around the world harness AI's rapid advancements to unlock business value, they are also getting exposed to their fair share of risks like bias, security threats, privacy violations, copyright infringement, hallucinations and malicious use to name a few.

The regulation and policy landscape are also evolving rapidly putting different obligations on all participants across the AI value chain to adopt the specific standards and safeguards. It has now become imperative to safeguard themselves against any hazards without which they suffer from loss of reputation, incur hefty penalties.

To address these challenges, Infosys has come up with a set of offerings which have helped Infosys in its journey to become AI-first.

SCAN
We help our clients identify the overall risk posture, legal obligations, vulnerabilities, and threats arising due to AI adoption using a set of offerings named 'Scan'.
SHIELD
We offer our clients technical and specialized solutions, guardrails, and accelerators for protecting AI models from vulnerabilities.
STEER
We offer our clients advisory and consulting services to enable them to advance their RAI journey and become leaders in space.


Image Credits: Infosys

Eligibility Criteria

Innovation Focus: Solutions must specifically address the use of AI to increase accessibility of government services for those with a disability, and their carers and supporters. Proposals should be original and not based on existing commercial products or solutions.

Technical Feasibility: Proposals should include a clear plan for implementing the AI solution, including technical requirements, feasibility assessment and potential challenges.

Ethical Considerations: All proposals must demonstrate a commitment to ethical AI practices, including considerations for fairness, privacy, and transparency.