# Disability Representations: Finding Biases in Automatic Image Generation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.14993 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.14993/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 8 of its 16 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 21 Jun 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 8 of 8)

- [Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.11239/) (2020)
- [Adversarial Diffusion Distillation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.17042/) (2023)
- [Easily Accessible Text-to-Image Generation Amplifies Demographic Stereotypes at Large Scale](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.03759/) (2022)
- [Stable Bias: Analyzing Societal Representations in Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.11408/) (2023)
- [Identifying and Improving Disability Bias in GPT-Based Resume Screening](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.01732/) (2024)
- [The Prompt Artists](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.12253/) (2023)
- [Automated Ableism: An Exploration of Explicit Disability Biases in Sentiment and Toxicity Analysis Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.09209/) (2023)
- [DROW: Real-Time Deep Learning based Wheelchair Detection in 2D Range Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1603.02636/) (2016)

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- ["Cold, Calculated, and Condescending": How AI Identifies and Explains Ableism Compared to Disabled People](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.03448/) (2024)
- [Images Speak Volumes: User-Centric Assessment of Image Generation for Accessible Communication](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.03430/) (2024)
- [Investigating Disability Representations in Text-to-Image Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.04687/) (2026)
- [Beyond wheelchairs and blindfolds: Investigating disability stereotypes in T2I models with INCLUDE-BENCH](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.08515/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Recent advancements in image generation technology have enabled widespread access to AI-generated imagery, prominently used in advertising, entertainment, and progressively in every form of visual content. However, these technologies often perpetuate societal biases. This study investigates the representation biases in popular image generation models towards people with disabilities (PWD). Through a comprehensive experiment involving several popular text-to-image models, we analyzed the depiction of disability. The results indicate a significant bias, with most generated images portraying disabled individuals as old, sad, and predominantly using manual wheelchairs. These findings highlight the urgent need for more inclusive AI development, ensuring diverse and accurate representation of PWD in generated images. This research underscores the importance of addressing and mitigating biases in AI models to foster equitable and realistic representations.