Artificial intelligence (AI) can have both benefits (improved healthcare, AI-powered assistive technology, etc.) and negative consequences (perpetuation of discrimination, inaccessible AI devices and services, etc.) for persons with disabilities.
It is important to ensure that the development and application of AI emphasizes inclusion, accessibility and attention to the unique needs of persons with disabilities.
On 30 November 2021, 115 civil society organisations, including the BDF, launched a collective statement to call for a European regulation on artificial intelligence that puts fundamental rights first.
Learn more about civil society's call to the European Union
On 1 April 2023, the European Disability Forum (EDF) adopted a resolution on the European Artificial Intelligence Act for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Learn more about the EDF resolution on the European Artificial Intelligence Act
In 2026, the BDF notes that the rise of AI in healthcare poses a significant risk to fundamental rights. The AI Act, the GDPR and the NIS2 legislation constitute absolutely essential safeguards for these rights, which must be consolidated and strengthened. It is in this spirit that the BDF contributed to the European Commission’s call for contributions on the Digital Fitness Check.
Read the BDF’s contribution on the Digital Fitness Check
