AI and Accessibility: What We Learned at axe-con 2026
2026-03-09
At Digi-Clicks, we believe innovation only matters if it works for everyone. During axe-con 2026, we had the opportunity to attend multiple webinars led by global accessibility leaders. The conversations were honest, data-driven, and at times uncomfortable, especially when addressing whether AI is truly inclusive or unintentionally leaving people behind.
Here’s what we learned about how AI is shaping accessibility today: the advantages, the risks, and the responsibility companies must embrace moving forward.
1. Is AI Unlocking Opportunity...or Creating New Barriers?
Researchers from the American Foundation for the Blind presented findings from a 2025 cross-disability survey conducted with 1,070 adults with disabilities and 665 adults without disabilities across the U.S.
How People Learn AI:
92% of respondents learn AI tools on their own.
10% of people with disabilities reported inaccessible learning methods (vs. 4.2% without disabilities).
Common barriers: inaccessible videos, non-keyboard-friendly interfaces, and overly complex training.
Insight: AI education itself is not always accessible, and that’s the first barrier.
“ Technology has certainly improved the quality of life and access for people with disabilities, but at the same time, it is often a case of two steps forward and one step back. Because if a new technology comes out, it often has its own accessibility limitations that can in turn create limitations for people with disabilities where none existed before. And the mass proliferation of artificial intelligence, AI, the last couple of years is no exception to that rule.”
Arielle Silverman, American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
2. The Benefits: Why AI Feels Empowering
61% said AI made learning easier. The biggest advantages included:
Text summarization & explanations
Reduced “social cost” of learning (no fear of judgment)
Help with grammar, tone, citations
Converting PDFs, generating captions, and formatting content
Supporting executive function (breaking tasks into steps)
One powerful quote described AI as a “partner or tutor who doesn’t get impatient.” For neurodivergent users and blind users especially, AI acted as assistive technology, not just productivity software.
3. Where AI Becomes Risky
The survey also uncovered serious concerns.
AI in Hiring
43% of jobseekers completed automated interviews or AI-based assessments. 62% suspected AI was involved, but many were unsure.
Issues included:
Inaccessible screen-reader interfaces
Being required to disable assistive technology
Not enough time to complete tests
Lack of transparency
Without human oversight, AI systems can create unequal employment barriers.
4. AI at Work: Assistive or Restrictive?
Two-thirds of participants use AI on the job for writing, research, and notetaking. Notably, blind users were more likely to find AI extremely helpful. Non-native English speakers used AI for writing and taking notes more frequently. However:
Only 28% reported employer AI policies.
14% weren’t sure if rules even existed.
1 in 5 said AI policies impacted their work.
Accessibility isn’t just about tools, it’s also about governance and clarity.
5. The Global Bias Problem
A major issue raised: Over 90% of AI training data is in English, yet only ~20% of the world speaks English as a first language. This results in up to 40% accuracy drops for underrepresented populations, cultural misinterpretation and medical and diagnostic risk.
Accessibility must consider:
Permanent disabilities
Situational limitations
Socioeconomic barriers
Performance costs (data affordability)
In regions where 1GB of data equals 4–5% of monthly income, performance is not about milliseconds; it’s about survival.
6. How Companies Are Using AI for Accessibility
Just as we saw with Starbucks at Axe-Con 2025, many big companies are considering accessibility tools, standards, and training to be more inclusive with their employees and customers. Here's how other companies are using AI to improve accessibility:
Microsoft: Automation + Human Judgment
At Microsoft, AI helps detect: Color contrast issues, missing labels, keyboard traps, but humans remain accountable.
"This is what good automation looks like: knowing when to assist and when to hand control back to humans. The best AI blends seamlessly into existing workflows and it supports people without demanding a new way of working."
Cherisha Agarwal, Microsoft.
Key takeaway: AI should assist, not replace, judgment. Human-in-the-loop is essential.
IKEA: AI-Powered Alt Text at Scale
At IKEA, AI now generates alt text for 400,000 images, 27 languages, and EU markets, but the success came from:
Inclusive teams
User testing
Continuous iteration
Accessibility wasn’t compliance; it was innovation.
The Big Lessons from axe-con 2026
From all the sessions, five themes stood out:
1. AI is a Powerful Assistive Tool. Especially for blind users, neurodivergent individuals, and non-native English speakers.
2. Bias and Representation Still Matter. Training data shapes outcomes, and global inclusion requires intentional design.
3. Automation Without Oversight Is Risky. Hiring systems, captioning, and image tools can cause real harm.
4. Privacy Is a Trust Cliff. Transparency and data protection determine adoption.
5. Accessibility Is a Strategy, Not a Checkbox. The most successful examples (Microsoft, IKEA) combine AI + human accountability + inclusive teams.
Final Reflection
AI is not inherently inclusive, but it can be transformative when built with intention. At Digi-Clicks, our takeaway from axe-con 2026 is clear: Innovation without accessibility is incomplete innovation.
If your brand is implementing AI tools, the question isn’t just “Will this improve efficiency?” It’s also: “Who might this unintentionally exclude, and how do we fix that before it happens?” Because the future of AI shouldn’t lock anyone out.
Sources:
axe-con Webinar: “If AI is the Key to the Future, are Disabled People Locked Out?” by Carmel Heydarian, Alyssa Shock, and Arielle Silverman – American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
axe-con Webinar: “Building for a New Next Billion Users” by Ire Aderinokun
axe-con Webinar: “When Inclusion Meets Automation” by Cherisha Agarwal, Microsoft.
axe-con Webinar: “Designing for Everyone” by Paulina Bergman, IKEA.
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"Elon Musk's Twitter": a new era
At the beginning of November we were told about the billionaire's purchase of Twitter, and now, at the end of the month, not very favorable changes have been announced for the platform, its users and brands.
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*Mosseri, head of Instagram, announced the platform's new tools.
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Want to learn more about how these developments can affect or improve your brand? Contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions.
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The first step: you need to create a Buyer Persona
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What are the stages of the consumer journey?
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Summary: These are the reasons why you should include a Persona and Consumer Journey in your strategy:
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December: news about AI, new features of your apps and recent UX-based ideas.
2022-12-02
This year is coming to an end, but tech innovations do not stop. Artificial intelligence was the great protagonist this month and will surely continue to be the talk of 2023, because although it represents great advances for brands, mobile apps and user experience, several people in the industry are protesting because it poses a risk to many positions that currently exist.
Lensa, the mobile app that makes portraits with AI
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It is impossible to stop innovation and more and more brands are betting on artificial intelligence, but do you think this poses a risk to current positions in the advertising and technology industry? Tell us in the comments.