The Rise of the Robots: Is Generative AI the future of assistive technology?

Rhona Payne; Julie Smith; Emma Duke-Williams; Richard Holme; Sundar Srinivasan; Gordon Spark; Linda Martindale; Susan Kinnear

doi:10.20933/100001442

The Rise of the Robots: Is Generative AI the future of assistive technology?

Rhona Payne
, Julie Smith (Editor)
, Emma Duke-Williams (Editor)
, Richard Holme (Editor)
, Sundar Srinivasan (Editor)
, Gordon Spark (Editor)
, Linda Martindale (Editor)
, Susan Kinnear (Editor)

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

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Abstract

In 2024/25, the University of Dundee Disability Services ran a series of Generative AI group training sessions for students exploring its potential to support study skills such as exam revision, proofreading and note taking. The project formed part of the presenter's MSc dissertation, 'Disabled university student perspectives on the use of Microsoft CoPilot to aid exam revision,' with the November 2024 sessions used in the data collection. Further sessions were delivered in March 2025, with 59 disabled student participants overall. This presentation will explore the outcomes of this project: disabled student use of Generative AI, their perspectives on training and their fears about using this technology at university. Can it and should it be used as an assistive technology? It will also offer a realistic perspective on navigating the ethical concerns to support its responsible use.

Original language	English
Number of pages	24
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.20933/100001442
Publication status	Published - 30 Sept 2025
Event	University of Dundee Scholarship Conference 2025 - Dalhousie Building, Dundee, United Kingdom Duration: 2 Sept 2025 → 3 Sept 2025

Conference

Conference	University of Dundee Scholarship Conference 2025
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Dundee
Period	2/09/25 → 3/09/25

Access to Document

10.20933/100001442Licence: CC BY

The Rise of the Robots: Is Generative AI the future of assistive technology?Licence: CC BY

University of Dundee Scholarship Conference 2025
Smith, J. (Organiser), Duke-Williams, E. (Organiser), Holme, R. (Member of programme committee), Srinivasan, S. (Member of programme committee), Spark, G. (Member of programme committee), Martindale, L. (Member of programme committee) & Kinnear, S. (Member of programme committee)
2 Sept 2025 → 3 Sept 2025
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference

Cite this

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title = "The Rise of the Robots: Is Generative AI the future of assistive technology?",

abstract = "In 2024/25, the University of Dundee Disability Services ran a series of Generative AI group training sessions for students exploring its potential to support study skills such as exam revision, proofreading and note taking. The project formed part of the presenter's MSc dissertation, 'Disabled university student perspectives on the use of Microsoft CoPilot to aid exam revision,' with the November 2024 sessions used in the data collection. Further sessions were delivered in March 2025, with 59 disabled student participants overall. This presentation will explore the outcomes of this project: disabled student use of Generative AI, their perspectives on training and their fears about using this technology at university. Can it and should it be used as an assistive technology? It will also offer a realistic perspective on navigating the ethical concerns to support its responsible use.",

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Payne, R, Smith, J (ed.), Duke-Williams, E (ed.), Holme, R (ed.), Srinivasan, S (ed.), Spark, G (ed.), Martindale, L (ed.) & Kinnear, S (ed.) 2025, 'The Rise of the Robots: Is Generative AI the future of assistive technology?', Paper presented at University of Dundee Scholarship Conference 2025, Dundee, United Kingdom, 2/09/25 - 3/09/25. https://doi.org/10.20933/100001442

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A2 - Srinivasan, Sundar

A2 - Spark, Gordon

A2 - Martindale, Linda

A2 - Kinnear, Susan

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N2 - In 2024/25, the University of Dundee Disability Services ran a series of Generative AI group training sessions for students exploring its potential to support study skills such as exam revision, proofreading and note taking. The project formed part of the presenter's MSc dissertation, 'Disabled university student perspectives on the use of Microsoft CoPilot to aid exam revision,' with the November 2024 sessions used in the data collection. Further sessions were delivered in March 2025, with 59 disabled student participants overall. This presentation will explore the outcomes of this project: disabled student use of Generative AI, their perspectives on training and their fears about using this technology at university. Can it and should it be used as an assistive technology? It will also offer a realistic perspective on navigating the ethical concerns to support its responsible use.

AB - In 2024/25, the University of Dundee Disability Services ran a series of Generative AI group training sessions for students exploring its potential to support study skills such as exam revision, proofreading and note taking. The project formed part of the presenter's MSc dissertation, 'Disabled university student perspectives on the use of Microsoft CoPilot to aid exam revision,' with the November 2024 sessions used in the data collection. Further sessions were delivered in March 2025, with 59 disabled student participants overall. This presentation will explore the outcomes of this project: disabled student use of Generative AI, their perspectives on training and their fears about using this technology at university. Can it and should it be used as an assistive technology? It will also offer a realistic perspective on navigating the ethical concerns to support its responsible use.

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The Rise of the Robots: Is Generative AI the future of assistive technology?

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University of Dundee Scholarship Conference 2025

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