Dekel Skoop, CEO & Founder at accessiBe.
AI is everywhere. From the auto-generated captions on videos that we scroll through every day to the content marvel of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence hit the scene in a big way last year, and it has quickly become an integral part of our lives both at work and at home. As the capabilities of AI become more advanced and accurate, no one can deny the impact on society at large.
The same is true for its role in the web accessibility space. It is a much-needed part of a robust approach to digital accessibility, and it has proven to catalyze change at scale at an unprecedented rate. When I look back on 2023, I see that it marked a distinct turning point, in which AI for accessibility turned a corner and firmly established its position in the industry as integral to success.
The Digital Accessibility Gap
A small number of companies chose to provide accessible websites before automated solutions hit the scene. But AI has proven to be the game-changer. The world’s existing websites almost number a billion—auditing and correcting them with manual remediation is insurmountable. With AI, it’s achievable.
Native remediation of a business website without any automation can take up to six months or more and can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on the size and complexity of the site. Maintaining an accessible website requires ongoing updates and often expensive external resources. While this process might be feasible for some businesses, it is certainly not for most, especially SMBs and mom-and-pop shops.
With AI-powered solutions, machine learning and recognition systems quite literally help dramatically in the “heavy lifting” of the auditing and correcting process. This means that accessibility can finally keep up with the rapid pace of website development. Human participation in accessibility efforts is still important, but we no longer need to bear the weight of accessibility entirely alone.
A Hybrid Of AI And Human Intelligence
AI is an important piece of the puzzle, but it doesn’t replace the role that individuals need to play in making the internet an accessible place for everyone. Over the years, I, along with my team at accessiBe, have come to understand that in some cases, both human and artificial intelligence are needed to provide the solutions required for the varied accessibility needs of the business landscape. Despite being a prevalent challenge that businesses face, many leaders simply don’t know that websites are not inherently accessible for people with disabilities. They also don’t often know that there are legal risks for non-compliance with accessibility regulations. Inclusion as a value goes beyond a one-time installation.
Here are two ways you, as a business leader, can kick off your accessibility strategy.
1. Assess your website’s accessibility with an auditing tool or service.
2. Be mindful that your social media and marketing content is accessible and inclusive.
3. Learn about the legal requirements for compliance in your industry.
Illustrating AI Success In Web Accessibility Solutions
While AI is not a perfect or magic cure for digital accessibility, a blanket dismissal of its capabilities has been dying out. I’ve seen for myself the astounding evolution of AI. The technology can provide nuanced, even “humanlike” results. In image recognition, for example, AI can interpret nuanced details to generate image descriptions.
When AI scans an image of a dog, it can detect not just what kind of animal it is but which breed it is and if it’s sitting, standing or running. The complex capabilities are astounding and continue to evolve with time, which is why I believe the investment in AI is so worthwhile.
The Barriers Are Breaking
2024 has begun, and while internet accessibility remains a challenge, most now understand that AI is not the enemy. It is a must-have in our toolkit to tackle the growing demand for a universal solution to close the web accessibility gap.
There has been much movement within the accessibility industry over the last few months. For example, previously manual approach advocates have started to speak out about the need for AI, and one of the most outspoken voices against automated solutions acquired a company that offers one.
I am confident that as people continue to recognize the undeniable power of AI—gaining favor in the disability and business communities alike, we will be able to keep taking steps toward realizing what was a dream for years—an internet that everyone can access and engage with.
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