Digital accessibility is a crucial topic for everyone involved in creating products and services for businesses worldwide and the end users themselves. It refers to the idea that websites, mobile apps, and other digital products should be designed to allow people with various limitations to use them.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is on the rise, has also found its way into this field. It plays a key role in developing tools and technologies that help create more inclusive user experiences. AI removes barriers that previously excluded some groups of users from fully participating in the digital world. Additionally, by supporting technological solutions, AI also positively impacts other “non-digital” areas of life.
Before we discuss the specifics, let’s explore the issue’s basics and highlight the responsibilities imposed on digital service providers by current legal regulations and WCAG standards.
What is accessibility and why is it important?
Digital accessibility refers to creating products and services that everyone can use, regardless of their physical, sensory, or cognitive limitations. This includes people with visual, hearing, and motor disabilities and those with cognitive disorders. However, accessibility is not limited to individuals with disabilities – accessible products are also more user-friendly for seniors, children, and people in challenging environments (e.g., noisy surroundings).
Ethics and laws are beginning to prioritize accessibility. According to new regulations in Europe, all public and private sectors must ensure the digital accessibility of their products and services by June 28, 2025. Failure to comply may result in legal and financial consequences.
WCAG: guidelines and upcoming changes
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are an international standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure that digital content is accessible to everyone.
There are four main principles of WCAG:
- Perceivability – all information and user interface elements must be accessible for all users to perceive.
- Operability – all interactive elements must be easy to operate.
- Understandability – content and interfaces must be readable and predictable.
- Robustness – technologies must be compatible with various devices and assistive technologies, such as screen readers.
According to new EU regulations, all digital service organizations must implement WCAG guidelines. This includes websites, mobile apps, digital documents, and multimedia. This is a crucial step towards ensuring full accessibility for all users worldwide (source: WCAG 2.2 Quick Reference).
Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility
AI has enormous potential to support accessibility by eliminating barriers and opening up new opportunities for people with disabilities. Here are 10 examples of how AI can be applied in this context:
1. Generating subtitles for videos and multimedia content
AI algorithms can automatically generate real-time subtitles for video materials, which is crucial for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. For example, YouTube offers automatic captions generated from audio analysis and speech recognition.
Learn more about YouTube’s automatic captions.
2. Describing images for people who are blind
AI can automatically generate image descriptions on websites, helping people who are blind or visually impaired understand what is depicted. Facebook uses Automatic Alt Text technology to identify objects in images and generate descriptions for screen readers.
Learn more about Facebook’s Automatic Alt Text.
3. Personalizing user interfaces
VoiceOver on Apple devices is a built-in screen reader that enables blind or visually impaired users to interact with their iPhones, iPads, or Macs using touch gestures and voice commands. It allows users to hear descriptions of on-screen content, such as text, buttons, and images, and adjust speech speed and interaction style according to their needs.
4. Recognizing unusual speech patterns
Voiceitt is an AI-powered tool that recognizes unusual speech patterns in people with communication difficulties. The app learns the user’s speech patterns and clarifies their speech to make it more understandable to others.
5. Automatic transcription of phone calls
AI technology can automatically transcribe phone calls, allowing people who are deaf or hard of hearing to read the conversation in real-time. One example is Google Live Transcribe, which is available on mobile devices.
Learn more about Google Live Transcribe.
6. Real-time sign language translation
AI supports the development of technologies that translate sign language into text or speech. SignAll has developed a system that translates gestures into text, enabling communication between hearing and deaf individuals.
7. Smart wheelchairs
AI-powered wheelchairs, such as those developed by Control Bionics, use algorithms for autonomous navigation, adjusting the route, and avoiding obstacles, enhancing users’ mobility and independence.
Learn more about DROVE wheelchair.
8. Voice assistants
Voice assistants like Siri and Alexa significantly improve the lives of people with disabilities by eliminating the need for physical interaction with devices. Through voice commands, users can control smartphones, lights, or home appliances without using their hands. This technology enhances independence, particularly for people with limited mobility or visual impairments.
Learn more about Siri and Alexa.
9. AI navigation systems for the blind
AI supports the development of navigation systems that help blind people move around public spaces. Microsoft Seeing AI is an app that describes the surroundings and text in real time, significantly aiding spatial orientation. Another tool, Google Lookout, uses AI to recognize the environment and objects for visually impaired users, helping them navigate the world more easily.
Learn more about Seeing AI and Google Lookout.
10. AI supporting disabled athletes in sports
AI-driven prosthetics, like those developed by Össur, help athletes with disabilities better control their movements during sports. AI adjusts the prosthetics for different activities, such as running or cycling, enabling athletes to achieve better results.
Learn more about Össur prosthetics.
Challenges of AI in Accessibility
Despite the tremendous potential of AI, there are still challenges in its implementation for accessibility purposes.
One risk is the bias in the training data on which AI algorithms are based. If systems are trained on incomplete or biased data, they may overlook the needs of certain user groups, such as people with rare disabilities.
Many challenges also relate to language diversity, cultural differences, and user needs, which require more nuanced solutions.
AI algorithms can also make mistakes. For example, automatic captions are not always accurate, leading to comprehension issues for deaf or hard-of-hearing users.
Another potential risk is the reliance on technology. Errors or system failures, such as those in AI-powered wheelchairs or prosthetics, can create safety issues. In critical situations, the lack of reliability could result in serious complications for users.
The benefits of AI for accessibility
On the other hand, AI offers significant benefits. One key advantage is the personalization of user experiences. Systems can automatically adjust interfaces to meet each person’s individual needs, enhancing both comfort and accessibility.
Another significant benefit is increased independence for people with disabilities. AI enables easier access to everyday tasks like communication, navigation, and technology operation, significantly enhancing quality of life and self-sufficiency.
New solutions are emerging, such as AI supporting the development of modern exoskeletons that could assist individuals with paralysis in regaining mobility.
The new era of accessibility and inclusive experiences
Although AI still has a long way to go in achieving full accessibility, the future looks promising. Imagine a world where technology makes life easier and truly creative – such as apps that can “translate” images into sound or tell stories based on what we see.
AI has the potential to be more than just a tool; it can make technology more human and approachable. Who knows, maybe soon we’ll have AI assistants that don’t just guide us to our destination but also tell us a joke to lift our spirits. Inclusion through AI is not just the future – it’s already an exciting reality!
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If you are interested in accessibility or artificial intelligence, be sure to read other articles by our experts.
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