Gartner predicts people with disabilities employed will triple due to AI, emerging technologies by 2023

There is good news for people with disabilities on the job front, thanks largely to emerging technologies. Research firm Gartner has predicted that by 2023, the number of those people employed will triple due to artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies, reducing barriers to access. “People with disabilities constitute an untapped pool of critically skilled talent, said Daryl Plummer, distinguished vice president and Gartner Fellow. “AI, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and other emerging technologies have made work more accessible for employees with disabilities”, he said.

For example, Plummer said, select restaurants are starting to pilot AI robotics technology that enables paralysed employees to control robotic waiters remotely. Organisations that actively employ people with disabilities will not only cultivate goodwill from their communities, but also see 89 per cent higher retention rates, a 72 per cent increase in employee productivity, and a 29 per cent increase in profitability, he added.