Neurodivergent- and Disability-Friendly Ways to Use AI for Advocacy Tasks
AI can support your advocacy work without demanding impossible energy or focus. This article explores kinder, access-based ways to use AI that respect your neurodivergent and disabled body-mind — focusing on reducing friction, not chasing “productivity.”
Much advice about “productivity” assumes you have endless energy, strong executive function, and pain-free focus. That’s not real life for many neurodivergent or disabled people. This guide is about using AI as an access tool — to lighten load, not increase pressure.
Start from Access Needs, Not from Tools
Before you think about what AI can do, name what you actually need:
- “I can’t handle long reading sessions.”
- “I lose track of steps in multi-stage forms.”
- “I get overwhelmed by long emails.”
- “I can think and talk better than I can type.”
“I’m neurodivergent/disabled and have limited energy. Please keep your answers short and step-by-step, and check before adding more detail.”
You are allowed to design the interaction around you — not contort yourself around the tool.
Principle 1: Shrink the Reading, Shrink the Writing
Reading and writing can be exhausting. AI can help by reducing both load types.
Use AI to Shrink Reading
- Summarise long letters or policies.
- Pull out “what actually changes for me.”
- Turn dense paragraphs into bullet points.
“Please summarise this letter in 5 dot points about decisions made and what I need to do by when.”
Use AI to Shrink Writing
- Dictate or jot rough notes.
- Ask AI to draft a short, clear version for you.
“These are rough notes for an email to my support coordinator. Please turn them into a short, polite but firm email about what’s going wrong and what I’m asking for.”
Principle 2: Chunk Tasks into Tiny, AI-Supported Pieces
Executive function barriers — getting started, switching, remembering steps — are real. Use AI as a chunking assistant.
“I need to make a complaint but my energy is low. Please turn this into a checklist of tiny steps I can do in 10–15 minute blocks.”
You can even ask AI to format steps in a tickable table or to remind you of the next small task when you’re stuck.
Principle 3: Reduce Sensory and Cognitive Overload
Walls of text are a nightmare. Ask AI to:
- Add headings and break up paragraphs.
- Convert long text to dot points or a table.
“This text is overwhelming. Please insert headings, split long paragraphs, and use dot points without changing meaning.”
For complex issues, ask for a one-page overview with background, timeline, main concerns and requests.
Principle 4: Use Your Stronger Modes — Speech, Writing, Visual
If Speaking Is Easier Than Writing
Dictate your thoughts, paste the transcript, and ask AI to clean it up with headings like Background, What’s Happening, and What I’m Asking For.
If Writing Is Easier Than Speaking
Ask AI to create scripts for calls or meetings so you can prepare and read from them.
“Please write a short script for my call with [service]. Include an intro, my main concern, one clear request, and a sentence to use if I need to pause.”
Principle 5: Build Reusable Advocacy “Blocks”
Reuse saves energy. Ask AI to help you create small, adaptable pieces of text — like an access-needs summary or a boundary-setting paragraph.
“Please help me write a short paragraph about my communication needs in meetings — first person, plain language, suitable for schools or services.”
Keep these snippets in a document or app. You can reuse them instead of starting from zero every time.
Principle 6: Protect Your Energy and Emotions
AI can’t heal trauma, but it can help you avoid emotional re-exposure. Ask AI to reuse previous summaries instead of retyping painful details.
“Please keep a copy of this summary in this chat. When I ask for letters about this issue, use this summary instead of making me restate everything.”
When close to burnout, you can say:
“Please respond in a calm, practical way and focus on next steps, not on describing emotions.”
Principle 7: Design for Interruption and Forgetfulness
Ask AI to act as a gentle memory:
“We’re working on a complaint letter. Please track progress and remind me what we’ve done and what’s next when I return.”
Or end each session with:
“Please summarise in 3 bullet points what we achieved today and what’s next.”
Copy that summary somewhere visible for continuity.
Concrete Advocacy Tasks with ND- and Disability-Friendly AI Patterns
1. Filling Out a Long Form
- Ask AI to turn questions into a small-step checklist.
- Draft rough answers; AI can tidy grammar while keeping your voice.
2. Preparing for a Phone Call
Ask AI to draft:
- a short intro line,
- 3–5 key questions,
- a sentence you can use if you need to pause or ask for things in writing.
3. Tidying Up Executive-Function Chaos
“These are scattered notes about the same issue. Please remove duplicates, group under headings, and make a short summary for my advocate.”
Safety, Privacy and Consent — Especially When Supporting Others
- Don’t paste identifiable details without consent.
- Explain how you’re using AI and what stays offline.
- Show drafts before sending anything on someone’s behalf.
- Consider writing a shared “AI use agreement.”
A Small “ND- and Disability-Friendly AI” Checklist
- Can I shrink the reading or writing?
- Can I break this into smaller steps?
- Is the layout easy to scan?
- Am I using my strongest mode (speech, writing, visual)?
- Can I reuse text blocks I already wrote?
- Is this emotionally safe right now?
- Have I protected privacy?
A Gentle Way to Experiment
- Pick a small, low-stakes task.
- Ask AI: “Please help me do this in the easiest way possible — reduce reading, make small steps, draft short text.”
- Notice which parts felt easier and save any reusable text blocks.
You don’t have to use AI the way tech companies imagine. Use it slowly, selectively and on your own terms — as an access tool, not a test of endurance.
AI can’t replace energy, but it can protect it. Used gently, it can help you focus your limited capacity on what matters most — decisions, connection, and advocacy — instead of disappearing into forms and screens.