Accessibility and AI: Microsoft Details Its Plans for a More Inclusive Future

pcmag.com:

Artificial intelligence has become a contentious term of late, garnering both excitement and distrust, depending on who you ask. But on the positive side, Microsoft sees AI as a way to create more inclusive technology. You likely already make use of the technology in ways you don’t even realize: say, in an auto-filled search bar, closed captioning on a YouTube video, or spell-checking a Word document.

At Microsoft’s annual Ability Summit(Opens in a new window), the tech giant curated keynotes led by community leaders who sought to help bridge the disability divide to build a more inclusive future using AI. Here are some of the ways Microsoft and its partners plan to use the tech to make a difference.

Microsoft is laser-focused on creating responsible AI, the practice of designing, developing, and deploying AI with the intention of empowering users. “Responsible AI is accessible AI,” said Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Chief Accessibility Officer at Microsoft.

Demoing the new AI-powered Bing search engine, Lay-Flurrie plotted out a wheelchair-accessible trip to the airport in seconds, along with alternate, accessible routes. She followed that by building simple code that follows the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards.

Microsoft is also introducing a new accessibility assistant to Microsoft 365. It’ll work similarly to spell check by offering suggestions to prevent and remediate potential accessibility issues: for example, choosing alternate colors for hard-to-read text contrast. The assistant will also be able to create auto-generated descriptions of images in real-time.

For many neurodiverse job seekers, navigating the job market may feel impossible, as many companies aren't equipped with the right training,