AI transparency

The practice of making artificial intelligence systems understandable to users and stakeholders, including how they work, what data they use, and the confidence levels of their outputs. For assistive technology users, AI transparency enables informed decision-making about when to trust automated descriptions or inferences. Research shows that people with visual impairments want to know not just what an AI system detected but also how confident it is in that detection—particularly for subjective inferences like emotion or age. Transparency mechanisms may include confidence indicators, explanations of how conclusions were reached, and clear communication about system limitations. This helps users calibrate their trust and avoid embarrassment from acting on incorrect information.