He tries to play the stoic in this look at the incredible changes to disabled peoples’ lives that tech could bring. But the radical benefits of one piece of kit leave him visibly moved
If a celebrity wins Strictly Come Dancing, alongside the glitter ball trophy, they can expect the BBC to gift them a variety of vehicles for their newfound audience. Stacey Dooley rung in New Year’s Eve and presented a makeup challenge. Rose Ayling-Ellis got two documentaries and a guest spot on Doctor Who. Now, 2024 champion, comedian and self-declared geek Chris McCausland has his first major appearance: Seeing into the Future, a deep dive into the growth of AI and technology and what it means for him and others with sight loss.
Much of the action takes place in Silicon Valley where McCausland, who gradually became blind by his early 20s, explores whether the land of big tech could give him “a whole new level of independence”. We meet McCausland as he uses his iPhone to pick his clothes for the day. Holding up a navy shirt, the AI app – with an alarmingly human cadence – tells him it’s clean but has a few wrinkles he might want to iron out. Before voice-controlled smart assistants, McCausland used to have to cut the labels of each piece of clothing into a shape and use touch to work out what he was looking at. It’s a primer to any luddites watching of how far tech has already come and how, for many disabled people, such innovations aren’t just a fun thing to have – they’re life-changing.
