I was recently volunteering at a food pantry when I saw someone who was visually impaired trying to navigate the space and understand how food labels are marked there. After watching someone step in to help them, I wondered whether there was a way that I could support them next time without knowing how this person specifically (or anyone else in the visually impaired community) navigated through day-to-day life.
This is how I found Be My AI, an artificial intelligence feature within the Be My Eyes app that allows blind and low-vision users to get instant visual assistance without first connecting with a volunteer.
What is Be My Eyes, and how does it use AI?
Be My Eyes is a volunteer-run video platform that supports visually impaired people. It was founded in 2015 by Hans Jørgen Wiberg, who recognized the need for a platform connecting blind people with sighted volunteers via live video calls.
This initiative aimed to assist people in navigating everyday tasks by leveraging the support of a global volunteer network. In 2023, Be My Eyes introduced its AI-powered virtual assistant, Be My AI, to reduce the need — and potential wait time — of speaking to a human.
Since Be My AI is a feature inside the Be My Eyes app, it uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 with vision to instantly “see” and describe photos for blind and low-vision people. You snap a picture of what you’re trying to navigate in real time, and the AI tool gives you a natural-language description on the spot.
What sets it apart is its conversational ability. Since it’s working through OpenAI’s GPT-4, it functions the same way. You can ask follow-up questions, and the AI keeps up, understanding context and responding to accommodate your needs.
If the AI can’t help, you can switch to a live volunteer inside the app, giving you flexible options anytime. I appreciate this because it’s using AI to give you agency while still offering the option to “phone a friend.”
How to use Be My AI to support the visually impaired community
Be My AI (and Be My Eyes) is available on desktop, iOS and Android, so pick your platform of choice and download.
- Download the Be My Eyes app and register as a user with your email, Google or Apple ID.
- During setup, choose your primary language to ensure the AI platform understands your requests.
- Once logged in, navigate to the Be My AI feature, where you can start getting instant visual assistance powered by AI. There are no wait times or live volunteers needed for this feature (more on that below)
- When you need help, simply take a photo within the Be My AI tab. The AI, powered by GPT-4 with vision, will analyze the image and provide a detailed, natural language description of what it “sees.”
- You can ask follow-up questions about the image — like identifying objects or describing environments — through the chat’s interface.
- If Be My AI can’t answer your question or you want more personalized help, you can easily switch to a live volunteer call. The app will connect you with a sighted volunteer via video, who can see through your rear-facing camera and assist you in real time.
This combination of AI and human support gives you the flexibility to get help however you need it.
Should you use Be My Eyes?
Be My Eyes is a free platform that’s built for accessibility, but it’s not without limits. Nothing is perfect. Be My AI can misinterpret blurry or complex images, and like any tech, it relies on a smartphone and internet access. Still, Be My Eyes offers flexible support and lets you choose the kind of help that fits your needs in the moment.
As for data ethics, there’s always a risk with anything that lives online, but I’m finding a compromise in the guardrails in place and how companies communicate off-top or respond to concerns with customers in mind rather than soothing disgruntled communities with fluff.
Be My Eyes is transparent about how it handles photos. Images submitted to Be My AI are processed to generate a response but aren’t stored long term. The platform is clear about privacy, built with screen reader support, and gives users full control over how they engage.
The heart of Be My Eyes platform and its AI features has good intentions, and wasn’t crafted recklessly — I can appreciate that. It doesn’t try to replace community, but it makes everyday interactions more accessible. If you’re someone who values autonomy but occasionally needs an extra set of eyes, whether human or AI, Be My Eyes can offer a thoughtful, flexible bridge.