The Future Of AI And Disability Support

If you’d asked me a year ago what I thought about Artificial Intelligence (AI), I probably would’ve said I was curious, but unsure. Fast forward to today, and I’m genuinely excited. Because I’ve seen firsthand how this technology is already reshaping disability support for the better.

Startups across the sector are beginning to show us what’s possible. For Example:

Support Sorted is helping people with disability and their families navigate and coordinate their supports more easily, cutting through NDIS wait-list complexity;
Scripto AI is building tools to transcribe and summarise therapy sessions, giving providers better records while reducing admin; and
Minikai is developing AI agents for providers to significantly reduce administrative burdens in the disability and aged care sectors.

Each of these startups is tackling a unique challenge. But together, they’re pointing to a future where AI technology genuinely transforms the service experience for providers and participants alike - where service is more personal, support is more accessible, and systems are easier to navigate.

These companies came together recently at a Remarkable x Alliance20 pitch night and what stood out wasn’t just the innovation, but the people in the room. Advocates, investors, people with disability, and even 20 CEOs from Alliance20, the network of Australia’s largest disability service providers, showed up to see what’s next. That matters. Because when people with influence, funding, and decision-making power come together with innovators and people with disability themselves, that’s where exciting change happens. Remarkable is doing more than just supporting startups - they’re creating an ecosystem where ideas can grow, where tech is built with the disability community, not just for it. That mindset is critical if we want AI to truly make a difference.

From the provider side, I’ve seen AI’s impact up close. At Hireup, our team has been quietly rolling out AI tools that are making a big difference. We’ve used AI to summarise call notes, freeing up our team to focus on people, not paperwork. We’ve developed an internal AI copilot that helps staff quickly access policies and procedures. And we’re trialling tools to streamline incident reporting and restrictive practice compliance, reducing complexity and improving response times.

It was seeing these tools in action that made the penny drop for me. AI isn’t just a future concept. It’s already here, making work smoother, smarter, and more human. Looking ahead, AI could also help transform how the NDIS is run: Easier to understand information and less admin for everyone. Smarter plan reviews. Data driven planning and fairer funding outcomes. Streamlined compliance. A system that’s more responsive, less bureaucratic, and truly participant-led.

Of course, we have to get this right. Privacy, control, and accessibility must be built in from day one - and yes, the challenges are real. There’s a lot of noise about AI disrupting industries, but in our world, I don’t see it as disruption. I see it as an enhancement.

The future of disability support isn’t human or AI - it’s going to be human + AI. When done right, tech doesn’t replace relationships; it reinforces them. It takes care of the admin, the process, the paperwork - so people can focus on what truly matters: the person in front of them.

This is just the beginning. The opportunity in front of us is massive, and I, for one, can’t wait to see what we build together.