The Gist
- Accessibility imperative. Digital accessibility is mandatory, not optional, for modern organizations.
- AI progress. Generative AI holds potential but needs improvement in providing accessible digital experiences.
- Inclusive development. Including individuals with disabilities in AI development is essential for successful accessibility.
Over the last decade, Alison Walden established an extensive track record empowering organizations to enhance the accessibility of their digital experiences. As the senior director of technology for the digital consultancy, Publicis Sapient, her company has worked with many prominent brands including McDonald’s, Marriott and Nissan. And as the head of Publicis Sapient’s Accessibility Centre of Excellence (CoE), she and her team strive to establish standards for accessible digital processes, experiences and capabilities.
How has generative AI been infused into the digital accessibility realm? Thus far, efforts to apply generative AI to digital accessibility challenges have not been too impressive. Why? Walden said it is likely because they’re building on what will become out-of-date interaction models.
“I’m talking about browser adaptations that use generative AI to attempt to fix website accessibility issues, for example by suggesting alternate text for missing images or guessing headings, or even the latest code-completion tools that suggest code snippets using AI,” Walden said. “Today these lack finesse and it’s still necessary [...]