AI-powered public service and persons with disabilities (PWDs): questioning the commitment to bridging digital inclusivity gap in Ghana

Purpose As global awareness of digital inclusivity increases, governments are more and more optimizing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to bridge public service gaps and provide equitable access to essential service for persons with disabilities (PWDs). This study aims to explore how AI-powered public service for PWD is bridging digital inclusivity gap in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Using qualitative research approach, interviews were conducted with the ministry of gender, children and social protection, AI developers, PWDs advocacy groups and PWDs. The data collected was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The study reveals that AI-powered public service in Ghana has the potential to reduce the exclusion gap for PWDs; however, poor policy design and implementation, lack of political commitment, financial constraint and weak IT infrastructure hamper its effectiveness. Practical implications The results indicate fundamental deficiency in the design, execution and accessibility of AI-powered public services for PWDs, highlighting the need to address these challenges to attain inclusive AI technologies. Social implications AI-powered public service must be developed to meet local needs, ensuring that no category of PWDs is left out. Failure to do so will widen the existing social inequality, where PWDs continue to be marginalized, even in the face of a growing digital world. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, the paper is among the first to deploy the use of critical disability theory, digital justice and political process theory to explain the use of AI-driven technologies in enhancing public service delivery for PWDs in sub-Saharan Africa.