AI can be extremely helpful in many ways and for sighted people, it is often an upgrade but
for blind and visually impaired people, it can be a gateway to independence.

For roughly 40 million* people worldwide, who are blind and many more who are visually
impaired reading a letter, identifying products, navigating unfamiliar spaces and surfing
online can be extremely challenging. AI tools can help overcome some of those challenges
by effectively describing the physical and digital world to its users. But access to these tools
alone is not enough. Knowing how to use them confidently is equally as important. This is
why VIGO4AI’s main mission is creating practical, multilingual AI training for blind and
visually impaired adults and their educators. The goal of this mission is a shift in confidence:
the ability to approach new technology with curiosity rather than anxiety.

The training includes something for everyone: for people with low vision and those who are
fully blind, for young professionals building their career skills and for older adults
encountering smartphones for the first time. It is designed for complete beginners and
experienced users alike. Adaptive materials and flexible learning paths ensure every
participant finds their entry point and progresses at their own pace. All curricula are available
in five languages: English, German, Spanish, Italian and Slovenian.

Topics include: how to install and use Seeing AI and Be My Eyes for reading documents,
recognising products, and navigating outdoors, plus integrating AI add-ons into screen
readers; how to use generative AI — prompting, evaluating outputs, and applying tools like
ChatGPT to writing and content creation; designing and publishing functional AI chatbots
using Jotform, an accessible browser-based platform. Each level builds on the last, and all
can be followed independently or with a trainer.

While these specific apps taught today may change in the future, the mindset of an informed
and independent digital citizen will not. The technological advancements are not slowing
down, and AI is not waiting for everyone to be ready. VIGO4AI is making sure no one gets
left behind.

*According to the IAPB Vision Atlas 2020 data, approximately 43.3 million people are blind worldwide.
Additionally, 295 million people live with moderate-to-severe vision impairment (MSVI). These
numbers are rising, with projections indicating over 60 million blind people by 2050 due to an aging
population.