Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers through live video calls. Founded in Denmark in 2015, it built a community of millions of volunteers who help with everyday visual tasks — reading a label, checking colors, finding a dropped item. In 2023, it added an AI assistant that can describe images instantly. It is one of the clearest examples of multimodal AI improving daily life. See Be My Eyes in our tools directory.

The problem

Many daily tasks depend on vision: reading mail, checking expiry dates, choosing clothes, navigating unfamiliar places, using appliances with touchscreens. Volunteers are generous, but calling a stranger for every small task isn’t always convenient or private. Some users hesitate to “bother” volunteers for simple or personal things.

The AI solution

In March 2023, Be My Eyes announced a “Virtual Volunteer” built with OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, which could understand images. Later released as Be My AI, it lets users take a photo and receive a detailed description, then ask follow-up questions in conversation:

  • “What does this letter say?”
  • “Which of these two shirts is the blue one?”
  • “What are the cooking instructions on this package?”
  • “Is there anything on the floor in front of me?”

Users can still call a human volunteer whenever they prefer, or when the AI isn’t enough.

What changed for users

Based on user reports and the organizations’ accounts:

  • Independence and privacy: users can handle personal items like medical letters without involving another person.
  • Availability: instant answers at any time.
  • Conversational detail: follow-up questions let users explore an image in depth, beyond a single caption.
  • Choice: AI and human help coexist, letting users pick what suits each situation.

Limits and risks

  • Errors: the AI can misread text or misdescribe scenes. For safety-critical tasks — medication doses, crossing streets — users are advised not to rely on AI alone.
  • Hallucinations: the model can describe details that aren’t there.
  • Privacy: photos may contain sensitive information; users need clear information about data handling.
  • Connectivity and cost: cloud-based AI requires internet access.

Be My Eyes worked with blind and low-vision beta testers to refine the feature before wider release — a key part of its approach.

Expanding to businesses

Be My Eyes also offers services for companies, such as accessible customer support, where AI and human agents help blind customers with products and websites.

Lessons for designing accessible AI

  1. Co-design with the community: involve disabled people from the start and throughout.
  2. Offer choice: keep human alternatives alongside AI.
  3. Be honest about limits: tell users when not to rely on AI.
  4. Design for conversation: follow-up questions are more useful than one-shot descriptions.
  5. Respect privacy and give users control over their data.

The broader picture

Multimodal AI is spreading to other accessibility tools: screen readers describing images automatically, smart glasses providing audio descriptions, and apps reading documents aloud. Be My Eyes shows how such technology, designed with users, can expand independence — see our coverage of accessibility and inclusion.

Design details that matter

Small design choices make AI accessibility tools usable: compatibility with screen readers, clear audio feedback when a photo is taken, guidance for framing pictures without seeing them, and short answers first with details on request. Testing with blind users reveals issues that sighted designers rarely anticipate.

What to watch next

  • Real-time video description for blind and low-vision users.
  • Smart glasses with AI visual assistance.
  • Accessibility standards for AI-powered apps.
  • Accuracy improvements for safety-relevant descriptions.

Key takeaways

  • Be My Eyes connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers.
  • In 2023, it added an AI assistant built with GPT-4 that describes photos conversationally.
  • Users gain independence, privacy and instant help, while human volunteers remain available.
  • Errors and hallucinations mean AI shouldn’t be relied on alone for safety-critical tasks.
  • Co-design, choice and honesty about limits are key lessons for accessible AI.

Frequently asked questions

Is Be My Eyes free?

Yes, the app is free for blind and low-vision users.

Does Be My AI replace human volunteers?

No. Users can choose AI descriptions or call a human volunteer at any time.

How accurate is AI image description?

It is often detailed and helpful, but it can make mistakes, so important or safety-related information should be double-checked.