How A.I. Helped Me See the Faces of the People I Love for the First Time

If someone told me, a couple of weeks prior, that I would be taking pictures of everything that crossed my path, I would have laughed in their face. But there I was, sitting on the sidewalk, looking to capture the perfect shot that would allow me to learn a little more about the world I am a part of: the expression of the guide dog who is always by my side; the bustle of a busy street full of buildings, cars, and signs; the box of desserts I just bought, wondering whether it looked appetizing enough to bring to a family dinner. I can't see these things, which are so easy to take for granted, with my own eyes. But A.I. has now brought me as close to being able to do so as I'll probably ever be. I was born totally blind, and my visual world has always been determined by what well-meaning people can tell me about my surroundings. To appreciate all the details of a room or to read a menu in a restaurant, I was dependent on someone else.