AI meets autism support
SmartCompany
SmartCompany fights for, champions and scrutinises Australian SMEs, entrepreneurs and startups.
It’s important to be skeptical about generative AI and how it’s being used, particularly when it comes to children and sensitive data.
But even my cold, black heart was a little melted when I chatted to the co-founder and CEO of Understanding Zoe, hearing how the platform is being used to help children with autism — and their caregivers.
According to co-founder and CEO Laetitia Andrac 🌈♾️ 🧠 , Understanding Zoe was started by accident.
She and husband Johan ERCHOFF , who is also a co-founder, found themselves as parents grappling with the overwhelming task of managing their daughter Zoe’s autism diagnosis.
After receiving a 35-page diagnosis report and a laundry list of therapies to manage, they went searching for a tool to help make sense of the mountain of information and provide strategies in moments of heightened emotion.
But it simply didn’t exist, so they had to build their own.
And while it’s still in the early stages, Andrac says that it has been a game changer for kids, parents and teachers
My interview with Andrac and Erchoff leads today’s Weekender, where we also wrap our big annual Smart50 Awards last night.
I had the pleasure of MCing/bullying the crowd, with pay.com.au topped the ranking of fastest growing SMEs.
It’s been a busy week at SmartCompany Towers, thanks for joining us.
Tegan Jones
5xFounder🔹 Author 🔹 Speaker 🔹 Podcaster 🔹Founder of Understanding Zoe 🔹 Techstars 24 🔹 Strategy and Business Coach helping leaders & entrepreneurs to grow their impact without burning out 🔹Neurodivergent advocate
1moThank you so much SmartCompany and Tegan Jones for featuring our story and journey in creating a more neuroinclusive and neuroaffirming world! Our vision is bold and big in correcting biases in LLM. We are starting now by using AI to help unstructured information shared with parents, carers and teachers by multiple therapists into actionnable strategies for them to use in moments of acute needs. It is all about guaranteeing continuity of care outside of the powerful therapy sessions.