Shew notes that AI is often framed in media and research as a kind of “cure” for disability — for example, prosthetics that restore a “normal” body or AI tools that erase impairments. These narratives center technological intervention (and often making life "easier" for the caretaker rather than the person needing care) while sidelining social changes that would make the world more accessible. By treating disability as a condition to be corrected, such stories reinforce ableist ideas rather than valuing disabled people’s lived experiences.

Narratives of AI and "Cure"

Shew defines technoableism as the assumption that technology, particularly AI and robotics, should “fix” or eliminate disability. This framing treats disability as a deficit compared to a supposed norm, rather than as a form of human diversity. By focusing on technological cures, technoableism reinforces ableist ideals of normalcy and ignores systemic barriers that actually disable people.

Arizona State University

Ashley Shew critiques how conversations about AI often reproduce ableist assumptions. Shew argues that mainstream visions of AI and robotics frequently frame disability as a problem to be solved through technological intervention, rather than recognizing disabled people as central voices in shaping technological futures. The concept of technoableism describes this tendency to privilege high-tech “fixes” and idealized notions of ability, while sidelining the lived experiences and innovations of disabled communities. Shew calls for shifting perspectives so that AI development does not reinforce narrow standards of normalcy or perpetuate exclusion, but instead includes disabled people’s expertise, values, and critiques in imagining more just technological futures.

Ableism, Technoableism, and Future AI

Technoableism

Shew emphasizes that disabled people are often skilled innovators, developing creative adaptations and practices to navigate inaccessible environments. These lived forms of expertise rarely get acknowledged in AI and tech spaces, which tend to view disability only as a problem to be solved. By overlooking disabled ingenuity, the tech industry misses valuable insights that could lead to more inclusive and imaginative designs.

Disability as Innovation

Shew underscores that making environments and technologies accessible for people at the “extremes” of ability often improves access for everyone — for instance, curb cuts aid wheelchair users but also help parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, and injured athletes.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After