“People say these things are gadgets. For me, they’re lifelines. I use them every single day, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed.”
Chloe lives independently in Staffordshire and uses AI and voice technologies not just to get by — but to thrive. Living with cerebral palsy, Chloe has found that mainstream tools like Alexa, Bixby, and Google Speech are more flexible, more affordable, and often more empowering than traditional assistive tech.
She’s installed five smart speakers around the house, each picked up for around £30 — a fraction of the cost of infrared systems she was once offered (£1,000+).
With these tools, Chloe:
- Controls lights, volume, and TV hands-free
- Sends messages using speech-to-text
- Leaves voice notes via WhatsApp and Facebook
- Uses voice search for everything from recipes to radio stations
- “I don’t want to rely on a PA for every little thing. I can do it myself – and AI helps me do that.”
But not everything is smooth. Voice tools sometimes mishear or only complete part of a command. Speech-to-text is helpful, but Chloe often has to go back and manually correct the text. And while the technology is powerful, it’s not built with disabled people in mind.
“We’ve made it work, but we had to adapt it ourselves. Manufacturers should take us seriously. These aren’t toys – they’re essential.”
Chloe’s story is a reminder that inclusion often starts with the customer — and that innovation doesn’t need to be complex or expensive. With creativity, trial and error, and a strong voice of her own, Chloe is using AI to shape a life of independence, on her own terms.