Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Autism

Although we’re only 17 years into a new century, I think it’s safe to say that artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to be a game changer for the foreseeable future. While there are plenty of people convinced that AI poses a grave threat to humanity (Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Stephen Hawking have all voiced their concern recently), AI still stands to revolutionize our lives and vastly improve the human condition. Within the context of occupational therapy, AI will greatly impact both the diagnosis and treatment of autism. Here are just a few examples:

IBM Watson: Ever since Watson beat two former champions of the game show Jeopardy back in 2011, it has been making waves across numerous sectors, impacting everything from cancer treatments to minimizing turbulence on flights, all through its advanced predictive capabilities. A recent article in Forbes discusses how Watson is now shifting its focus to cognitive disorders. The article outlines how a new Watson application, called Content Clarifier, is tailoring information at the individual level, making it much easier to process and understand. There’s a very interesting video demonstrating how this is achieved. You can watch it here. But what this represents for those with autism or other cognitive disorders is information that is augmented in real time based on their specific needs. I can definitely see other applications for this technology, especially within the newer fields of augmented reality and virtual reality. Imagine a pair of glasses that can filter visual information, removing certain stimuli while keeping or augmenting others. Or perhaps a pair of headphones that can do the same for auditory stimuli. This is very exciting, especially from a sensory processing perspective.

Personal Assistants: There’s no doubt that the digital personal assistant has changed the way we go about our daily lives. I use Siri on my iPhone almost every day to send messages, add events to my calendar, etc. But how will the capabilities of digital assistants change as they increasingly rely on AI to operate? Better yet, what impact will this have on autism? Identifor recently released an app, called Companion, that is available now for both iOS and Android devices. The app was specifically designed with the needs of the autistic community in mind. At the core of the app’s design is Abby, a digital assistant that can help with various tasks such as managing medications, events, and personal finances. Identifor CEO Cuong Do was inspired to develop such technologies after his son was diagnosed with autism 13 years ago. I downloaded the app and was able to register in minutes. There’s also a separate games app that serves as a companion to Companion. Abby represents not only a promising development for those with autism, but I can also see how such digital assistants could be used to help older adults manage their medications and other items as well. As AI gets smarter, the digital assistants of the near future will have capabilities that even by today's standards still seem like science fiction.

Diagnosing Autism: An earlier diagnosis of autism means earlier treatment, but the disorder is difficult to diagnose in children under 2. But a study published in the journal Nature has revealed some exciting advancements in this field, made possible by AI. The study outlines how researchers were able to predict with 81% accuracy which of 106 high risk infants would be diagnosed with autism. They did so using MRI scans taken at six, 12, and 24 months. As AI increases in intelligence, the accuracy of this method will undoubtedly increase. I’m also excited to see how it will impact diagnostic testing of other disorders and diseases.

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