Inclusive design cannot be abdicated to AI
Many accessibility issues have been too often overlooked in digital design. AI, for good and bad, is now part of this debate.
That’s because AI tools have emerged as powerful aids for disabled people, and for usability experts. Yet, there is the risk that these tools could deter investment in inclusive design, with the belief that the onus can fall on new technology. As Unesco puts it, ‘abdicating engagement’ to AI, and perpetuating “the perception of digital accessibility as an added task.”
These AI tools for users include:
- computer vision and audio description apps for the blind and partially sighted (the RNIB references the likes of Be My Eyes, Seeing AI, Tap Tap See, and iDentifi);
- live transcription apps;
- reading, writing and comprehension assistants, such as Microsoft’s Immersive Reader or the summarisation capabilities of LLMs;
- voice interfaces, and many more.
For UX design and user testing, there are AI-powered accessibility checkers, and deep research performed with the likes of ChatGPT to deliver heuristic evaluation of digital products and services.
Real users at the fore
Such easily accessible insight, building on WCAG guidelines, is a boon to digital inclusion if it is used as one element of a baked-in approach to accessibility. But it is only one element, because though it offers scale and initial time-savings, it cannot account for nuance, or offer advice grounded in practical testing with a diverse set of users.
Unesco also points to the limitations of synthetic data – an application of AI that has potential to speed up market research and testing. As with all AI systems, synthetic users can “reflect dominant patterns present in training data”. Without testing with real users, this bias can calcify, preserving the status quo.
The most effective approach will remain a balance of human expertise and discovery with AI tools in the mix.
This is an excerpt from CTI Digital's report, 2026 Trends: Marketing in the Age of AI.
Content marketing manager at CTI, Ben is a writer and editor with 15 years experience in the marketing industry.