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Virginia congresswoman with brain disorder uses AI to speak

By and 07/10/2024 | updated 1 year ago

Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) is using a new artificial intelligence tool to find her voice as she battles a brain disorder that affects her ability to speak. 

Last year, Wexton was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, which prohibits some of her ability to speak, hear, and move.

“For those of you who heard me speak before PSP robbed me of my full voice, you may think your ears are deceiving you right now. I assure you they are not,” the voice reads in a video Wexton posted on X.

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“I am very pleased to debut my new AI voice today and share how this remarkable technology has helped empower me to keep living my life and doing the job I love,” she continued.

“AI can be a scary new frontier, especially if used in the wrong ways by people with bad intentions — but it also can provide new, unimaginable, and life-changing opportunities for Americans with disabilities,” Wexton said on X.

Wexton previously used a text-to-speech app while speaking on the House floor and became the first member of Congress to use such a device. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Wexton has served Virginia’s 10th Congressional District since 2019 and is not seeking reelection this November following her diagnosis. She is vacating a possibly competitive seat in the district, which encompasses Rappahannock County, Fauquier County, and Loudoun County. The area typically votes blue but has shifted slightly right due to redistricting.

“I’m heartbroken to have to give up something I have loved after so many years of serving my community,” Wexton said at the time of the announcement.

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