October 18, 2025 • 11 mins
Imagine using AI to tell you who's smiling at your jokes, and then turning that into the punchline. That's exactly what Chris McCausland does.
Chris is a blind British stand-up comedian who's become an unlikely champion of AI technology. Fresh off his historic Strictly Come Dancing win, he's using his platform to show how artificial intelligence is transforming accessibility, and mining it for comedy gold along the way. From AI apps that describe audiences to self-driving cars in Silicon Valley, Chris navigates a world where technology doesn't just assist him, it inspires him.
In this episode, we explore Chris's unique relationship with AI: how the iPhone revolutionised his independence, why he's a self-proclaimed tech geek at heart, and how he's turned assistive technology into stand-up material. We'll hear about his new BBC documentary exploring cutting-edge innovations, his experiments with AI age-guessing apps, and why he believes "accessibility creates a better experience for everybody."
This is a story about seeing AI differently, quite literally. It's about humor meeting technology, independence meeting innovation, and how one comedian is showing us that the future of AI isn't just functional, it's funny.
Watch Chris experiment with AI live on stage: Adventures In AI With Chris McCausland | RTS Cambridge Convention 2025
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Imagine relying on AI to tell you who's smiling at your jokes, and then turning that into the joke itself.
(00:06):
That's exactly what Chris McCausland does.
Picture this, you're a blind comedian on stage and you point your phone at your interviewer and ask AI to describe what it sees.
The AI responds.
She's a lady in a pinstripe suit.
She has a pretty warm expression.
Looks like she's listening to you, Chris Grins and asks, does she look interested? The AI observes her leaning forward and concludes.
(00:28):
I'd say the vibe was positive.
The rumor erupts in laughter.
Then Chris turns the camera on the audience.
Do they look interested after scanning the crowd? The AI reports back? Yes.
They look pretty engaged.
Some of them have smiles.
I'd say You have their attention.
That's Chris McCausland using ai, not just as a lifeline but as a lifeline.
(00:50):
Hi everyone.
Andy here and welcome back to the AI breakdown where we unpack the weird, wonderful, and world changing sides of artificial intelligence.
Today's episode is about someone who sees AI differently than most of us.
Literally, Chris Koslin is a British standup comedian who lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa his early twenties.
(01:12):
You might know him as the first blind winner of strictly come dancing in 2024, A victory that shot him into the mainstream spotlight.
But what makes Chris fascinating isn't just his dance moves or his comedy chops, it's how he's embraced technology, especially ai, as both a practical tool and a source of endless comic material.
(01:33):
For Chris.
AI isn't just changing how he navigates the world, it's also given them fresh ways to make us laugh.
This is a story about accessibility, meeting humor, about genuine curiosity, driving real change, and about how one person's relationship with technology.
It can show us all something new about where we're headed. 26 00:02:01,92.37520494 --> 00:02:07,902.37520494 To understand why AI matters so much to Chris, we need to wind back to what life was like before smartphones changed everything. 27 00:02:08,592.37520494 --> 00:02:16,2.37520494 Chris lost most of his sight in his early twenties back then, being blind meant relying on expensive, clunky specialist devices. 28 00:02:16,512.37520494 --> 00:02:19,452.37520494 As Chris puts it before the iPhone came along. 29 00:02:19,512.37520494 --> 00:02:25,2.37520494 Everything that assisted you with blindness had to be bespoke technology, ugly and grossly overpriced. 30 00:02:25,947.37520494 --> 00:02:27,657.37520494 These weren't just pricey gadgets. 31 00:02:27,657.37520494 --> 00:02:29,67.37520494 They were often impractical. 32 00:02:29,787.37520494 --> 00:02:40,497.37520494 Imagine needing a separate device just to read text, another to navigate, and yet another to identify objects, and none of them talked to each other for people with disabilities. 33 00:02:40,737.37520494 --> 00:02:42,537.37520494 Technology felt like an afterthought. 34 00:02:42,927.37520494 --> 00:02:44,787.37520494 Something bolted on rather than built in. 35 00:02:45,807.37520494 --> 00:02:48,297.37520494 Then came the iPhone and everything shifted. 36 00:02:48,957.37520494 --> 00:02:53,697.37520494 You think, how can a blind person use that? It's a glass screen, no buttons. 37 00:02:53,697.37520494 --> 00:02:54,477.37520494 Chris recalls. 38 00:02:55,17.37520494 --> 00:02:59,667.37520494 They made it the most accessible and useful device I've ever experienced in my life. 39 00:03:00,267.37520494 --> 00:03:03,267.37520494 He calls it revolutionary and he's not exaggerating. 40 00:03:03,747.37520494 --> 00:03:07,377.37520494 Suddenly, mainstream technology was accessible technology. 41 00:03:07,797.37520494 --> 00:03:11,187.37520494 No more hunting for niche devices or paying premium prices. 42 00:03:11,637.37520494 --> 00:03:14,427.37520494 The tools everyone else used could work for him too. 43 00:03:15,267.37520494 --> 00:03:19,857.37520494 The iPhone provided me with a level of autonomy and independence I've not experienced before. 44 00:03:19,947.37520494 --> 00:03:22,352.37520494 Chris says, and now AI is doing the same. 45 00:03:23,322.37520494 --> 00:03:28,692.37520494 Fast forward to today and artificial intelligence is powering the next leap in accessibility. 46 00:03:29,82.37520494 --> 00:03:36,72.37520494 We're talking about tools that can describe photos, read screens, identify faces, and even navigate environments. 47 00:03:36,282.37520494 --> 00:03:41,142.37520494 Apps like Be My Eyes, connect blind users to sighted volunteers through live video calls. 48 00:03:42,147.37520494 --> 00:03:50,847.37520494 But now be My Eyes has an AI version powered by GPT-4, which can instantly describe what the camera sees without needing a human. 49 00:03:50,907.37520494 --> 00:04:00,477.37520494 On the other end, they're seeing AI from Microsoft, which can read text, recognize currency, describe scenes, and even identify people's emotions. 50 00:04:01,107.37520494 --> 00:04:07,827.37520494 Smart assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant have become essential daily companions for Chris. 51 00:04:07,827.37520494 --> 00:04:11,232.37520494 These tools have transformed everyday tasks that most of us take for granted. 52 00:04:12,72.37520494 --> 00:04:17,82.37520494 Online banking, booking taxis, shopping for groceries, all of it is now accessible. 53 00:04:17,982.37520494 --> 00:04:19,902.37520494 AI is now the biggest game changer. 54 00:04:19,962.37520494 --> 00:04:21,762.37520494 He says it's not perfect. 55 00:04:21,792.37520494 --> 00:04:24,402.37520494 There's a long way to go, but it's already incredible. 56 00:04:25,32.37520494 --> 00:04:31,92.37520494 While most of us are still asking Siri to play the right song, Chris is using AI to navigate its entire world. 57 00:04:31,542.37520494 --> 00:04:40,602.37520494 It's reading his mail, identifying products and shops, telling him who's in a photo, even describing what people are wearing and how they're reacting to him. 58 00:04:41,202.37520494 --> 00:04:43,782.37520494 Chris's comfort with technology isn't accidental. 59 00:04:44,112.37520494 --> 00:04:50,232.37520494 Before he became a comedian, he studied software engineering at university and worked as a web designer. 60 00:04:51,132.37520494 --> 00:05:06,162.37520494 I was one of those kids who was only good at the things I wanted to be good at computers and maths and bollocks to everything else he admits With typical Canem, even after losing most of his sight and switching careers to comedy, that tech geek identity stuck. 61 00:05:06,747.37520494 --> 00:05:07,947.37520494 The geek never leaves you. 62 00:05:08,7.37520494 --> 00:05:12,207.37520494 Chris says this genuine enthusiasm for gadgets, shapes, everything he does. 63 00:05:12,597.37520494 --> 00:05:14,757.37520494 Chris isn't just passively using technology. 64 00:05:14,997.37520494 --> 00:05:20,787.37520494 He's actively experimenting with it, pushing it to see what it can do, and yes, finding ways to make it funny. 65 00:05:21,177.37520494 --> 00:05:32,607.37520494 In fact, his curiosity about artificial intelligence runs so deep that he pitched a TV documentary about it back in 2019 and everyone responded with What's ai? He jokes. 66 00:05:33,237.37520494 --> 00:05:35,847.37520494 Back then, artificial intelligence was still a niche topic. 67 00:05:36,222.37520494 --> 00:05:41,52.37520494 Now, of course, everyone's talking about it, and Chris's pitch has finally become reality. 68 00:05:41,502.37520494 --> 00:05:53,352.37520494 Remember that demo from the opening? That was Chris at the RTS Cambridge Convention 2025 on stage with TV presenter Angelica Bell, using an AI vision app to literally read the room. 69 00:05:53,892.37520494 --> 00:05:54,672.37520494 This is brilliant. 70 00:05:54,672.37520494 --> 00:06:01,782.37520494 On multiple levels, Chris is educating the audience about accessibility tech, showing how AI literally helps him see the room. 71 00:06:02,172.37520494 --> 00:06:04,902.37520494 But he's also getting huge laughs from the AI's commentary. 72 00:06:05,112.37520494 --> 00:06:08,742.37520494 Turning what could be a serious demonstration into entertainment. 73 00:06:09,102.37520494 --> 00:06:10,992.37520494 It's accessibility as comedy. 74 00:06:11,232.37520494 --> 00:06:12,852.37520494 Comedy as accessibility. 75 00:06:13,632.37520494 --> 00:06:18,642.37520494 And this isn't a one-off on the Staying Relevant Podcast with hosts Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks. 76 00:06:19,62.37520494 --> 00:06:22,572.37520494 Chris introduced them to an AI app that guesses your age from a photo. 77 00:06:23,52.37520494 --> 00:06:31,572.37520494 They tried it a year earlier and the AI had rather cheekily overestimated Pete's age much to everyone's amusement, so naturally they had to revisit it. 78 00:06:32,562.37520494 --> 00:06:37,452.37520494 Chris scanned Pete's face with the app to see how much he'd aged or de-age since last year. 79 00:06:37,842.37520494 --> 00:06:40,572.37520494 The AI's estimate prompted Hal the laughter. 80 00:06:41,142.37520494 --> 00:06:43,902.37520494 The hosts joked that the AI had done Pete Dirty. 81 00:06:43,902.37520494 --> 00:06:50,142.37520494 Again, it's a silly bit, but it shows Chris's genius for finding comedy in AI's imperfections. 82 00:06:50,922.37520494 --> 00:06:54,477.37520494 These tools aren't always accurate and sometimes that's part of the fun. 83 00:06:55,452.37520494 --> 00:07:02,742.37520494 Chris's tech curiosity has now culminated in a BBC two documentary called Chris McCausland Seeing Into the Future. 84 00:07:03,762.37520494 --> 00:07:10,452.37520494 It's a personal, and by all accounts funny exploration of how cutting edge technology might further transform his life. 85 00:07:11,142.37520494 --> 00:07:18,252.37520494 I've always been a tech nerd, and now I can't wait to finally get to count this indulgence as work Chris says with obvious excitement. 86 00:07:19,62.37520494 --> 00:07:31,812.37520494 In this one hour special, Chris travels across the UK and to Silicon Valley getting hands on with next generation innovations, robots, driverless cars, AI assistance, smart glasses, you name it. 87 00:07:32,262.37520494 --> 00:07:39,12.37520494 As he put it, he's championing at the bit to find out what the future holds and to try out the latest gadgets before anybody else can. 88 00:07:39,487.37520494 --> 00:07:41,502.37520494 But this isn't a dry tech showcase. 89 00:07:41,892.37520494 --> 00:07:44,232.37520494 Chris infused the journey with his trademark weight. 90 00:07:44,772.37520494 --> 00:07:46,902.37520494 I'll try and make friends with some robots. 91 00:07:46,992.37520494 --> 00:07:51,42.37520494 He jokes because it probably won't be long until they're in charge of us all. 92 00:07:51,342.37520494 --> 00:07:56,22.37520494 During his trip, Chris got to ride solo in a fully driverless car in San Francisco. 93 00:07:56,682.37520494 --> 00:08:00,462.37520494 For the first time in my life, I sat in a car that had nobody else in it. 94 00:08:00,822.37520494 --> 00:08:01,692.37520494 It was remarkable. 95 00:08:01,692.37520494 --> 00:08:03,492.37520494 He shares clearly thrilled. 96 00:08:03,492.37520494 --> 00:08:08,442.37520494 He even got to program a personal tune to play when the self-driving car arrived to pick him up. 97 00:08:08,832.37520494 --> 00:08:13,992.37520494 That detail, that giddy excitement about customizing his robot chauffeur's entrance music. 98 00:08:14,307.37520494 --> 00:08:15,387.37520494 That's pure Chris. 99 00:08:15,837.37520494 --> 00:08:23,337.37520494 He finds joy in the details that show how far we've come Throughout the documentary, Chris makes a powerful observation about accessibility. 100 00:08:23,787.37520494 --> 00:08:33,147.37520494 The beautiful thing about accessibility is that it's generally considered for a small group of people who absolutely need it, but it ends up benefiting far more people. 101 00:08:33,627.37520494 --> 00:08:36,357.37520494 Accessibility creates a better experience for everybody. 102 00:08:36,807.37520494 --> 00:08:37,587.37520494 Think about it. 103 00:08:38,67.37520494 --> 00:08:43,52.37520494 Curb cuts were designed for wheelchairs, but helped parents with strollers, delivery workers with carts. 104 00:08:43,707.37520494 --> 00:08:44,907.37520494 Travelers with luggage. 105 00:08:45,447.37520494 --> 00:08:49,77.37520494 Voice to text was built for accessibility, but became universal. 106 00:08:49,827.37520494 --> 00:08:59,457.37520494 The same pattern holds for AI Innovations designed to help blind users describe images or transcribe audio end up making everyone's lives easier. 107 00:09:00,207.37520494 --> 00:09:06,777.37520494 Chris's experiences mirror a broader AI for accessibility movement that's quietly transforming millions of lives. 108 00:09:07,197.37520494 --> 00:09:12,537.37520494 Blind people navigating cities, deaf people following conversations through realtime captions. 109 00:09:13,287.37520494 --> 00:09:16,977.37520494 People with motor disabilities, controlling devices with their voice. 110 00:09:17,367.37520494 --> 00:09:18,957.37520494 These aren't futuristic dreams. 111 00:09:18,987.37520494 --> 00:09:19,917.37520494 They're happening now. 112 00:09:20,607.37520494 --> 00:09:24,957.37520494 What makes Chris's story powerful is how he embodies both sides of this technology. 113 00:09:25,467.37520494 --> 00:09:31,647.37520494 AI genuinely empowers him, giving him independence and information, but he refuses to treat it as sacred. 114 00:09:32,7.37520494 --> 00:09:35,637.37520494 He pokes fun at it, tests its limits, shows us its quirks. 115 00:09:36,57.37520494 --> 00:09:42,132.37520494 When someone finds artificial intelligence both useful and funny, that's when you know the tech has hit something human. 116 00:09:43,257.37520494 --> 00:09:44,337.37520494 It's not perfect. 117 00:09:44,427.37520494 --> 00:09:45,597.37520494 There's a long way to go. 118 00:09:45,597.37520494 --> 00:09:50,67.37520494 He reminds us, but it's already incredible that balance matters. 119 00:09:50,517.37520494 --> 00:09:53,607.37520494 Acknowledging limitations while celebrating progress. 120 00:09:55,116.67668104 --> 00:10:02,706.67668104 By winning strictly and reaching millions of viewers, Chris has shown that blindness doesn't stop someone from succeeding at things once thought impossible. 121 00:10:04,21.67668104 --> 00:10:10,26.67668104 Now he's showing those same millions how technology can empower people with disabilities, and he's doing it the best way. 122 00:10:10,26.67668104 --> 00:10:12,276.67668104 He knows how by making us laugh. 123 00:10:12,801.67668104 --> 00:10:17,961.67668104 His comedy breaks down barriers and invites people in, whether joking about his old guy dog. 124 00:10:18,321.67668104 --> 00:10:23,961.67668104 Maybe he was deaf, which would be ironic or riffing on how these days I prefer to just get an Uber. 125 00:10:24,381.67668104 --> 00:10:27,381.67668104 Chris makes disability relatable and technology fun. 126 00:10:28,41.67668104 --> 00:10:31,281.67668104 His message is simple but profound for Chris. 127 00:10:31,641.67668104 --> 00:10:33,591.67668104 AI doesn't replace his independence. 128 00:10:33,621.67668104 --> 00:10:34,491.67668104 It enhances it. 129 00:10:35,151.67668104 --> 00:10:36,951.67668104 The relationship is symbiotic. 130 00:10:37,281.67668104 --> 00:10:41,901.67668104 AI helps him navigate the world, and he helps us navigate our relationship with ai. 131 00:10:42,321.67668104 --> 00:10:45,231.67668104 He shows us that accessibility isn't a niche concern. 132 00:10:45,471.67668104 --> 00:10:51,441.67668104 It's a universal design principle, and he reminds us that technology at its best serves everyone. 133 00:10:51,891.67668104 --> 00:10:54,171.67668104 That's all for this episode of the AI Breakdown. 134 00:10:54,561.67668104 --> 00:10:58,701.67668104 If you enjoyed the story, subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear about AI's. 135 00:10:58,701.67668104 --> 00:10:59,451.67668104 Better angles. 136 00:10:59,841.67668104 --> 00:11:01,566.67668104 Thanks for listening and see you next time.
Imagine relying on AI to tell you who's smiling at your jokes, and then turning that into the joke itself.
(00:06):
That's exactly what Chris McCausland does.
Picture this, you're a blind comedian on stage and you point your phone at your interviewer and ask AI to describe what it sees.
The AI responds.
She's a lady in a pinstripe suit.
She has a pretty warm expression.
Looks like she's listening to you, Chris Grins and asks, does she look interested? The AI observes her leaning forward and concludes.
(00:28):
I'd say the vibe was positive.
The rumor erupts in laughter.
Then Chris turns the camera on the audience.
Do they look interested after scanning the crowd? The AI reports back? Yes.
They look pretty engaged.
Some of them have smiles.
I'd say You have their attention.
That's Chris McCausland using ai, not just as a lifeline but as a lifeline.
(00:50):
Hi everyone.
Andy here and welcome back to the AI breakdown where we unpack the weird, wonderful, and world changing sides of artificial intelligence.
Today's episode is about someone who sees AI differently than most of us.
Literally, Chris Koslin is a British standup comedian who lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa his early twenties.
(01:12):
You might know him as the first blind winner of strictly come dancing in 2024, A victory that shot him into the mainstream spotlight.
But what makes Chris fascinating isn't just his dance moves or his comedy chops, it's how he's embraced technology, especially ai, as both a practical tool and a source of endless comic material.
(01:33):
For Chris.
AI isn't just changing how he navigates the world, it's also given them fresh ways to make us laugh.
This is a story about accessibility, meeting humor, about genuine curiosity, driving real change, and about how one person's relationship with technology.
It can show us all something new about where we're headed. 26 00:02:01,92.37520494 --> 00:02:07,902.37520494 To understand why AI matters so much to Chris, we need to wind back to what life was like before smartphones changed everything. 27 00:02:08,592.37520494 --> 00:02:16,2.37520494 Chris lost most of his sight in his early twenties back then, being blind meant relying on expensive, clunky specialist devices. 28 00:02:16,512.37520494 --> 00:02:19,452.37520494 As Chris puts it before the iPhone came along. 29 00:02:19,512.37520494 --> 00:02:25,2.37520494 Everything that assisted you with blindness had to be bespoke technology, ugly and grossly overpriced. 30 00:02:25,947.37520494 --> 00:02:27,657.37520494 These weren't just pricey gadgets. 31 00:02:27,657.37520494 --> 00:02:29,67.37520494 They were often impractical. 32 00:02:29,787.37520494 --> 00:02:40,497.37520494 Imagine needing a separate device just to read text, another to navigate, and yet another to identify objects, and none of them talked to each other for people with disabilities. 33 00:02:40,737.37520494 --> 00:02:42,537.37520494 Technology felt like an afterthought. 34 00:02:42,927.37520494 --> 00:02:44,787.37520494 Something bolted on rather than built in. 35 00:02:45,807.37520494 --> 00:02:48,297.37520494 Then came the iPhone and everything shifted. 36 00:02:48,957.37520494 --> 00:02:53,697.37520494 You think, how can a blind person use that? It's a glass screen, no buttons. 37 00:02:53,697.37520494 --> 00:02:54,477.37520494 Chris recalls. 38 00:02:55,17.37520494 --> 00:02:59,667.37520494 They made it the most accessible and useful device I've ever experienced in my life. 39 00:03:00,267.37520494 --> 00:03:03,267.37520494 He calls it revolutionary and he's not exaggerating. 40 00:03:03,747.37520494 --> 00:03:07,377.37520494 Suddenly, mainstream technology was accessible technology. 41 00:03:07,797.37520494 --> 00:03:11,187.37520494 No more hunting for niche devices or paying premium prices. 42 00:03:11,637.37520494 --> 00:03:14,427.37520494 The tools everyone else used could work for him too. 43 00:03:15,267.37520494 --> 00:03:19,857.37520494 The iPhone provided me with a level of autonomy and independence I've not experienced before. 44 00:03:19,947.37520494 --> 00:03:22,352.37520494 Chris says, and now AI is doing the same. 45 00:03:23,322.37520494 --> 00:03:28,692.37520494 Fast forward to today and artificial intelligence is powering the next leap in accessibility. 46 00:03:29,82.37520494 --> 00:03:36,72.37520494 We're talking about tools that can describe photos, read screens, identify faces, and even navigate environments. 47 00:03:36,282.37520494 --> 00:03:41,142.37520494 Apps like Be My Eyes, connect blind users to sighted volunteers through live video calls. 48 00:03:42,147.37520494 --> 00:03:50,847.37520494 But now be My Eyes has an AI version powered by GPT-4, which can instantly describe what the camera sees without needing a human. 49 00:03:50,907.37520494 --> 00:04:00,477.37520494 On the other end, they're seeing AI from Microsoft, which can read text, recognize currency, describe scenes, and even identify people's emotions. 50 00:04:01,107.37520494 --> 00:04:07,827.37520494 Smart assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant have become essential daily companions for Chris. 51 00:04:07,827.37520494 --> 00:04:11,232.37520494 These tools have transformed everyday tasks that most of us take for granted. 52 00:04:12,72.37520494 --> 00:04:17,82.37520494 Online banking, booking taxis, shopping for groceries, all of it is now accessible. 53 00:04:17,982.37520494 --> 00:04:19,902.37520494 AI is now the biggest game changer. 54 00:04:19,962.37520494 --> 00:04:21,762.37520494 He says it's not perfect. 55 00:04:21,792.37520494 --> 00:04:24,402.37520494 There's a long way to go, but it's already incredible. 56 00:04:25,32.37520494 --> 00:04:31,92.37520494 While most of us are still asking Siri to play the right song, Chris is using AI to navigate its entire world. 57 00:04:31,542.37520494 --> 00:04:40,602.37520494 It's reading his mail, identifying products and shops, telling him who's in a photo, even describing what people are wearing and how they're reacting to him. 58 00:04:41,202.37520494 --> 00:04:43,782.37520494 Chris's comfort with technology isn't accidental. 59 00:04:44,112.37520494 --> 00:04:50,232.37520494 Before he became a comedian, he studied software engineering at university and worked as a web designer. 60 00:04:51,132.37520494 --> 00:05:06,162.37520494 I was one of those kids who was only good at the things I wanted to be good at computers and maths and bollocks to everything else he admits With typical Canem, even after losing most of his sight and switching careers to comedy, that tech geek identity stuck. 61 00:05:06,747.37520494 --> 00:05:07,947.37520494 The geek never leaves you. 62 00:05:08,7.37520494 --> 00:05:12,207.37520494 Chris says this genuine enthusiasm for gadgets, shapes, everything he does. 63 00:05:12,597.37520494 --> 00:05:14,757.37520494 Chris isn't just passively using technology. 64 00:05:14,997.37520494 --> 00:05:20,787.37520494 He's actively experimenting with it, pushing it to see what it can do, and yes, finding ways to make it funny. 65 00:05:21,177.37520494 --> 00:05:32,607.37520494 In fact, his curiosity about artificial intelligence runs so deep that he pitched a TV documentary about it back in 2019 and everyone responded with What's ai? He jokes. 66 00:05:33,237.37520494 --> 00:05:35,847.37520494 Back then, artificial intelligence was still a niche topic. 67 00:05:36,222.37520494 --> 00:05:41,52.37520494 Now, of course, everyone's talking about it, and Chris's pitch has finally become reality. 68 00:05:41,502.37520494 --> 00:05:53,352.37520494 Remember that demo from the opening? That was Chris at the RTS Cambridge Convention 2025 on stage with TV presenter Angelica Bell, using an AI vision app to literally read the room. 69 00:05:53,892.37520494 --> 00:05:54,672.37520494 This is brilliant. 70 00:05:54,672.37520494 --> 00:06:01,782.37520494 On multiple levels, Chris is educating the audience about accessibility tech, showing how AI literally helps him see the room. 71 00:06:02,172.37520494 --> 00:06:04,902.37520494 But he's also getting huge laughs from the AI's commentary. 72 00:06:05,112.37520494 --> 00:06:08,742.37520494 Turning what could be a serious demonstration into entertainment. 73 00:06:09,102.37520494 --> 00:06:10,992.37520494 It's accessibility as comedy. 74 00:06:11,232.37520494 --> 00:06:12,852.37520494 Comedy as accessibility. 75 00:06:13,632.37520494 --> 00:06:18,642.37520494 And this isn't a one-off on the Staying Relevant Podcast with hosts Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks. 76 00:06:19,62.37520494 --> 00:06:22,572.37520494 Chris introduced them to an AI app that guesses your age from a photo. 77 00:06:23,52.37520494 --> 00:06:31,572.37520494 They tried it a year earlier and the AI had rather cheekily overestimated Pete's age much to everyone's amusement, so naturally they had to revisit it. 78 00:06:32,562.37520494 --> 00:06:37,452.37520494 Chris scanned Pete's face with the app to see how much he'd aged or de-age since last year. 79 00:06:37,842.37520494 --> 00:06:40,572.37520494 The AI's estimate prompted Hal the laughter. 80 00:06:41,142.37520494 --> 00:06:43,902.37520494 The hosts joked that the AI had done Pete Dirty. 81 00:06:43,902.37520494 --> 00:06:50,142.37520494 Again, it's a silly bit, but it shows Chris's genius for finding comedy in AI's imperfections. 82 00:06:50,922.37520494 --> 00:06:54,477.37520494 These tools aren't always accurate and sometimes that's part of the fun. 83 00:06:55,452.37520494 --> 00:07:02,742.37520494 Chris's tech curiosity has now culminated in a BBC two documentary called Chris McCausland Seeing Into the Future. 84 00:07:03,762.37520494 --> 00:07:10,452.37520494 It's a personal, and by all accounts funny exploration of how cutting edge technology might further transform his life. 85 00:07:11,142.37520494 --> 00:07:18,252.37520494 I've always been a tech nerd, and now I can't wait to finally get to count this indulgence as work Chris says with obvious excitement. 86 00:07:19,62.37520494 --> 00:07:31,812.37520494 In this one hour special, Chris travels across the UK and to Silicon Valley getting hands on with next generation innovations, robots, driverless cars, AI assistance, smart glasses, you name it. 87 00:07:32,262.37520494 --> 00:07:39,12.37520494 As he put it, he's championing at the bit to find out what the future holds and to try out the latest gadgets before anybody else can. 88 00:07:39,487.37520494 --> 00:07:41,502.37520494 But this isn't a dry tech showcase. 89 00:07:41,892.37520494 --> 00:07:44,232.37520494 Chris infused the journey with his trademark weight. 90 00:07:44,772.37520494 --> 00:07:46,902.37520494 I'll try and make friends with some robots. 91 00:07:46,992.37520494 --> 00:07:51,42.37520494 He jokes because it probably won't be long until they're in charge of us all. 92 00:07:51,342.37520494 --> 00:07:56,22.37520494 During his trip, Chris got to ride solo in a fully driverless car in San Francisco. 93 00:07:56,682.37520494 --> 00:08:00,462.37520494 For the first time in my life, I sat in a car that had nobody else in it. 94 00:08:00,822.37520494 --> 00:08:01,692.37520494 It was remarkable. 95 00:08:01,692.37520494 --> 00:08:03,492.37520494 He shares clearly thrilled. 96 00:08:03,492.37520494 --> 00:08:08,442.37520494 He even got to program a personal tune to play when the self-driving car arrived to pick him up. 97 00:08:08,832.37520494 --> 00:08:13,992.37520494 That detail, that giddy excitement about customizing his robot chauffeur's entrance music. 98 00:08:14,307.37520494 --> 00:08:15,387.37520494 That's pure Chris. 99 00:08:15,837.37520494 --> 00:08:23,337.37520494 He finds joy in the details that show how far we've come Throughout the documentary, Chris makes a powerful observation about accessibility. 100 00:08:23,787.37520494 --> 00:08:33,147.37520494 The beautiful thing about accessibility is that it's generally considered for a small group of people who absolutely need it, but it ends up benefiting far more people. 101 00:08:33,627.37520494 --> 00:08:36,357.37520494 Accessibility creates a better experience for everybody. 102 00:08:36,807.37520494 --> 00:08:37,587.37520494 Think about it. 103 00:08:38,67.37520494 --> 00:08:43,52.37520494 Curb cuts were designed for wheelchairs, but helped parents with strollers, delivery workers with carts. 104 00:08:43,707.37520494 --> 00:08:44,907.37520494 Travelers with luggage. 105 00:08:45,447.37520494 --> 00:08:49,77.37520494 Voice to text was built for accessibility, but became universal. 106 00:08:49,827.37520494 --> 00:08:59,457.37520494 The same pattern holds for AI Innovations designed to help blind users describe images or transcribe audio end up making everyone's lives easier. 107 00:09:00,207.37520494 --> 00:09:06,777.37520494 Chris's experiences mirror a broader AI for accessibility movement that's quietly transforming millions of lives. 108 00:09:07,197.37520494 --> 00:09:12,537.37520494 Blind people navigating cities, deaf people following conversations through realtime captions. 109 00:09:13,287.37520494 --> 00:09:16,977.37520494 People with motor disabilities, controlling devices with their voice. 110 00:09:17,367.37520494 --> 00:09:18,957.37520494 These aren't futuristic dreams. 111 00:09:18,987.37520494 --> 00:09:19,917.37520494 They're happening now. 112 00:09:20,607.37520494 --> 00:09:24,957.37520494 What makes Chris's story powerful is how he embodies both sides of this technology. 113 00:09:25,467.37520494 --> 00:09:31,647.37520494 AI genuinely empowers him, giving him independence and information, but he refuses to treat it as sacred. 114 00:09:32,7.37520494 --> 00:09:35,637.37520494 He pokes fun at it, tests its limits, shows us its quirks. 115 00:09:36,57.37520494 --> 00:09:42,132.37520494 When someone finds artificial intelligence both useful and funny, that's when you know the tech has hit something human. 116 00:09:43,257.37520494 --> 00:09:44,337.37520494 It's not perfect. 117 00:09:44,427.37520494 --> 00:09:45,597.37520494 There's a long way to go. 118 00:09:45,597.37520494 --> 00:09:50,67.37520494 He reminds us, but it's already incredible that balance matters. 119 00:09:50,517.37520494 --> 00:09:53,607.37520494 Acknowledging limitations while celebrating progress. 120 00:09:55,116.67668104 --> 00:10:02,706.67668104 By winning strictly and reaching millions of viewers, Chris has shown that blindness doesn't stop someone from succeeding at things once thought impossible. 121 00:10:04,21.67668104 --> 00:10:10,26.67668104 Now he's showing those same millions how technology can empower people with disabilities, and he's doing it the best way. 122 00:10:10,26.67668104 --> 00:10:12,276.67668104 He knows how by making us laugh. 123 00:10:12,801.67668104 --> 00:10:17,961.67668104 His comedy breaks down barriers and invites people in, whether joking about his old guy dog. 124 00:10:18,321.67668104 --> 00:10:23,961.67668104 Maybe he was deaf, which would be ironic or riffing on how these days I prefer to just get an Uber. 125 00:10:24,381.67668104 --> 00:10:27,381.67668104 Chris makes disability relatable and technology fun. 126 00:10:28,41.67668104 --> 00:10:31,281.67668104 His message is simple but profound for Chris. 127 00:10:31,641.67668104 --> 00:10:33,591.67668104 AI doesn't replace his independence. 128 00:10:33,621.67668104 --> 00:10:34,491.67668104 It enhances it. 129 00:10:35,151.67668104 --> 00:10:36,951.67668104 The relationship is symbiotic. 130 00:10:37,281.67668104 --> 00:10:41,901.67668104 AI helps him navigate the world, and he helps us navigate our relationship with ai. 131 00:10:42,321.67668104 --> 00:10:45,231.67668104 He shows us that accessibility isn't a niche concern. 132 00:10:45,471.67668104 --> 00:10:51,441.67668104 It's a universal design principle, and he reminds us that technology at its best serves everyone. 133 00:10:51,891.67668104 --> 00:10:54,171.67668104 That's all for this episode of the AI Breakdown. 134 00:10:54,561.67668104 --> 00:10:58,701.67668104 If you enjoyed the story, subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear about AI's. 135 00:10:58,701.67668104 --> 00:10:59,451.67668104 Better angles. 136 00:10:59,841.67668104 --> 00:11:01,566.67668104 Thanks for listening and see you next time.
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