University of Maryland study finds AI visual tools frustrate blind users

A study from the University of Maryland reveals that AI-powered visual assistance tools, specifically the ‘Be My AI’ feature within the Be My Eyes application, often provide overly long and detailed descriptions that hinder rather than help blind users.

Researchers analyzed 418 interactions from 11 blind participants who used the tool in both laboratory settings and daily life over a 10-day period. The findings indicate a significant mismatch between user intent and AI output. While users typically asked concise questions of 10 to 20 words, the AI responses were often more than ten times longer. Because these descriptions are read aloud, users must listen to vast amounts of unnecessary information to find a single practical detail.

This inefficiency frequently forces users to engage in multiple follow-up questions—averaging three turns per interaction but reaching as many as 21—to steer the AI toward the specific, actionable information they require.