A revolutionary partnership between ‘Be My Eyes’, the world-renowned accessibility app, and OpenAI, the leader in artificial intelligence research, is poised to transform the lives of millions.
Be My Eyes, which has connected over 250 million blind and visually impaired individuals with sighted volunteers since 2012, is integrating OpenAI’s groundbreaking GPT-4 language model to introduce a virtual assistant named “Virtual Volunteer™.”
“We’ve witnessed unparalleled performance with GPT-4 compared to any existing image recognition tool. The implications for global accessibility are profound. The blind and visually impaired community will not only gain assistance with interpreting visuals, but also achieve a greater degree of independence in their daily lives,” says Michael Buckley, CEO of Be My Eyes.
Following a successful beta test with employees in February, Be My Eyes is gearing up to launch the GPT-powered assistant to all users within weeks.
Jesper Hvirring Henriksen, CTO of Be My Eyes, explains what sets GPT-4 apart: its ability to hold conversations and offer deeper analytical capabilities.
“Basic image recognition tools simply tell you what you’re looking at. They can’t have a discussion to understand if the noodles are the right kind, or if an object on the ground is a tripping hazard, not just a ball,” he stated.
Be My Eyes already has a story where a user navigated a complex railway system with the help of GPT-4. Not only did they receive location details, but also step-by-step instructions on how to reach their destination safely.