Using AI after brain injury

AI used to be a term you’d hear mainly in sci-fi movies, but now it’s everywhere and is starting to impact society in very real ways.

In simple terms, AI refers to machines performing tasks that usually require human intelligence. Many people agree that current AI systems like ChatGPT and Gemini can, in some cases, match or even surpass human ability.

It’s remarkable how much progress has been made in just the last 12 months, and that progress is accelerating. The potential of AI is hugely exciting and offers real opportunities for people to achieve more. But alongside that come genuine concerns and, as is often the case, those concerns can be felt more acutely by those affected by conditions such as brain injury.

This article introduces AI as a tool that could help to support independence after brain injury, making simple suggestions for some things you can try to unlock its potential. There are no doubt many exciting ways that AI is being used across the brain injury community, and we’ll explore more in future!

[AI] writes my letters, explains things to me and understands. Always asks if I want things organised in a particular way to help with certain parts of my brain injury. It has become such an asset.

– Ruth Wild, Facebook

How can AI help me?

AI has the potential to help in several areas – its ability to understand natural language, correct spelling, and respond to voice commands makes it more accessible than many traditional apps.

For example, typing things like “subarachnoid haemorrhage” correctly might be daunting, but AI can help with spelling and understand complex terms. That said, not everyone finds AI easy to use. For instance, some people with communication challenges like aphasia have told us about the barriers they face.

Here are a few ways to explore its potential:

Improving written communication

Write an email or message, then paste it into your chosen AI tool and ask it to improve clarity or tone. You can also try this the other way around – telling AI what you need, then refining the results.

Organising daily tasks

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your task list, enter it into an AI tool and ask for help with priorities and structure. Alternatively, tell AI what you want to achieve and ask it to create a list of simple steps to get there. You can even mention your brain injury and ask it to consider things like fatigue and memory.

Supporting job applications and forms

Start by explaining what you need – for instance, by uploading a job description and application form, or pasting a link to a website. Then add your responses and ask AI to help shape them into a strong response. You can go back and forth until you’re happy with the result.

Exploring specialist AI tools

Some AI platforms offer tailored tools for specific needs. On ChatGPT, for example, the “GPTs” section includes a range of options, from “Scholar GPT” for research to “Planty” for gardening advice!

What do I need to watch out for?

Be yourself, be authentic

Whether you’re messaging friends or applying for a job, your voice matters. Use AI as a helpful assistant, not a replacement. People want to hear the real you, and especially in job or benefits applications, you’ll need to back up what you’ve written.

Practise writing AI prompts

A prompt is the question you ask an AI tool. There’s a knack for writing them in the best way to get a quality result, so search online for prompt-writing tips and practise until you’re happy.

AI doesn’t replace humans

AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not a substitute for expert advice – and it has real trouble saying ‘I don’t know’! For health concerns, speak to a medical professional. For benefits or employment support, consult a specialist. And for emotional support or guidance, friends, family, and Headway services are irreplaceable.

Protect your privacy

Free AI tools may offer less data protection than paid versions. Just like anything on the internet, stick to trusted platforms.

AI and hallucinations: A note of caution

Search engines like Google are increasingly using AI to generate quick answers. While this might be great for simple queries like ‘how to boil an egg’, it’s riskier for health-related questions.

AI tools are trained on vast amounts of online content, so they can get things wrong – and just like humans, may put two and two together and reach five! These errors are known as “AI hallucinations”, which are not always easy to spot.

I was very fortunate to have worked in AI so I know how to use ChatGPT etc without running into the risk of hallucination. In the early stages of my recovery, I chose not to use GenAI to answer any questions on my likelihood/pace of recovery, for my own sanity.

- George Clarke

Always check and edit AI results before using them. We recommend using trusted sources like headway.org.uk, nhs.uk, and gov.uk.

When using AI-generated search results, click through to the original sources and verify the information. And if you’re unsure, speak to a professional – don’t forget the Headway UK helpline team are here to help!

Working in harmony

In case you’re wondering – yes, a human wrote this article. Then we asked Microsoft Copilot AI to check it, and it did a great job of improving the clarity and reducing the word count. Finally, the Headway UK Communications Team gave it a few rounds of good old-fashioned proofreading. AI also suggested the title – what do you think of the result?

---

If you’ve had experiences with AI after brain injury, we’d love to hear from you. Email Andrew on headofdigital@headway.org.uk to tell us how it’s worked for you.

AI: A human perspective

“I’m George, 26 years old, born and raised in London.

"I went to the University of Bristol for my undergraduate degree studying Philosophy and Politics, then Imperial College London for my Masters studying Management with a specialism in Finance. Since then, I have been working in the Venture Building space with a focus on Generative AI.

"In September 2024, I was in Greece and was hit by a car, leaving me in a coma with right-side cerebral contusion, a subdural haematoma, a mid-line shift — all amounting to a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

"I returned to work for 4–5 months before having a seizure, prompting a career break to focus on my recovery.

George Clarke is using his AI expertise to better understand his brain injury, and support Headway in our AI journey

"In the very short term, as I came out of my coma and in the subsequent weeks, I experienced high levels of confusion around where I was and why I was there. In the mid-term, I had incredible levels of fatigue, which I managed by coming to terms with the fact that one sleep a day wasn’t enough and adjusted my schedule accordingly.

"Long-term effects include the fact that I had a tonic-clonic seizure, and I now have to consider factors that many people with epilepsy manage day to day — such as heat, hydration, sleep, and other triggers.

"I’ve also noticed an impact on my short-term memory, which has prompted a slight lifestyle change of writing everything down constantly. Using apps like ToDoist means that I don’t let anything slip.

"The other change I’ve noticed is in how I handle stress or multiple shifting tasks at once — I’m more prone to feeling overwhelmed. Like the fatigue, this has just meant adjusting my lifestyle and the pace of life and work to better suit what I need now.

"Eventually, I built my own customised GPT which provided responses based on academic papers and other reputable resources. This helped me understand medical terms as they relate to my recovery, and meant that all resources became hyper-customised to my own circumstance.”

---

Alongside a number of other exciting opportunities, George has started volunteering to help Headway UK make better use of AI in our work.

We’re hugely grateful for his support!