University of Phoenix will host a webinar on May 21, 2026, examining how AI tools can serve as workplace accommodations for neurodivergent professionals. The session, part of the Bridging Perspectives series, is titled "Neurodivergence and AI: Designing Workplaces That Think Differently" and runs at 11 a.m. MST.
What the webinar covers
The virtual event targets employers, higher education leaders, and professionals who want to understand how AI is reshaping expectations around work, productivity, and information processing. The core question is whether current AI-enabled workflows support or hinder employees with different neurotypes.
Saray Lopez, MBA, Director of Strategic Initiatives at University of Phoenix, stated that design choices around how work is structured, how information is shared, and how performance is measured can determine whether individuals are positioned to contribute fully. The session will examine how productivity and communication norms may unintentionally exclude some employees, and where AI tools can reduce barriers related to attention, executive function, sensory load, and processing demands.
Panel and topics
The webinar will be moderated by Veena Nayak, vice president of data science, strategy and solutions at University of Phoenix. Panelists include:
- Rachana Bhide, workplace psychologist and creator of The Elephant in the Window (AI + Psychology)
- Khushboo Chabria, M.S., BCBA, principal of Neurodiversity Pathways and co-author of Neurodiversity for Dummies and Autism for Dummies
- Ingrid Luster, CPACC, CAPM, founder of Linora Tech and digital accessibility expert
The discussion moves beyond technology adoption to consider how organizations define effectiveness and measure performance in AI-driven environments. Specific topics include how AI-enabled workflows can support or constrain different neurotypes, how productivity and responsiveness expectations may unintentionally create barriers, where AI tools can reduce friction related to focus, organization, and information processing, and what more flexible, human-centered AI implementation can look like in practice.
Practical takeaway
The webinar is free and open to the public. Registration is available through University of Phoenix's Bridging Perspectives series page. For employers and HR leaders evaluating AI tool deployments, this session offers a framework for assessing whether those tools actually reduce cognitive load for neurodivergent staff — or simply raise baseline expectations for everyone.