"The AI generated descriptions are so detailed that in my head I can paint the artwork." These words from Carine de Bruin, a visitor to Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, capture the transformative power of generative AI for accessibility. What was once out of reach for people with visual impairments is now becoming accessible through innovative applications of artificial intelligence.
Bringing Art to Life
The Rijksmuseum has embarked on a groundbreaking project in collaboration with the disability community and Microsoft. Using AI to create detailed descriptions of paintings, the museum is bringing one million artifacts to life for people like Carine, who cannot see them due to low vision caused by genetic disease.
This initiative exemplifies how AI is creating new possibilities for people with disabilities—a major advancement from the early days of assistive technology. Cloud computing and AI are moving accessible technology to the next level, connecting devices to the internet and dramatically boosting capabilities.
The Generative AI Transformation
"Generative AI makes everything that came before it less clunky and more intuitive," says Hector Minto, Microsoft's Senior Technology Evangelist for Accessibility. "By multiplying the size of available data sets, it takes us from basic technological help to imaginative new ways of interacting with the world."
People can now ask complex questions and receive intelligent answers. An image of a refrigerator isn't just described—generative AI helps figure out what meals can be prepared with the available ingredients.
Accessibility by Design, Not Afterthought
Rylin Rodgers, Disability Policy Advisor at Microsoft, notes a fundamental shift in approach: "Assistive technology used to be something tacked on after the fact to make computers and software more accessible. Now, we're seeing many of those features integrated right from the start, making them available to everyone."
Microsoft Copilot: A Game Changer for Everyone
Copilot exemplifies this new paradigm. Its features are useful for everyone while simultaneously responding to the individual needs of people with disabilities. Personal stories demonstrate the difference:
- Low vision users: Copilot summarizes complex and lengthy emails, alleviating eye strain
- ADHD individuals: Helps navigate complex Excel functions that previously required constant relearning
- Dyslexic people: Captures accurate notes from policy hearings, eliminating a previously difficult and time-consuming task
- Autistic individuals: Transcribes meetings live, suggests optimal times to interject, and helps use the right tone in emails
Supporting Neurodivergent People
"People who are autistic, ADHD, or dyslexic have not traditionally been the primary focus of tech innovations," says Hector Minto. "Generative AI is incredibly useful in helping to navigate challenges that once seemed insurmountable."
Microsoft supports the UK-based non-profit Global Symbols in an AI-powered project that helps people who cannot use their voice to communicate. By using AI, the project can quickly develop and distribute communication symbols across different languages and cultures—dramatically expanding access beyond traditional U.S. and large European markets.
Balancing Opportunity and Risk
The European Disability Forum (EDF) recognizes AI's potential to greatly improve lives but emphasizes vigilance against risks. "We need to ensure that it does not repeat or amplify the pattern of discrimination that persons with disabilities face both in the digital and non-digital world," said Alejandro Moledo, Deputy Director and Head of Policy.
People with disabilities—employees and customers—are involved in all stages of AI development at Microsoft. As AI evolves, continuing to engage the global disability community remains crucial to making tools more accessible to those who can benefit most.
Policy and the European Accessibility Act
The EU's Accessibility Act requires critical technology to adhere to accessibility standards—a significant win for inclusion. However, regulation specific to AI, including the EU's AI Act, must carefully address privacy concerns and prevent misuse without restricting essential AI tools such as voice technology used by people with speech disabilities.
Sharing Best Practices Globally
Across the EU, disabled people are advocating for more inclusive policy. The Zero Project initiative, emerging from Austria and supported by Microsoft, uses AI to make the world's accessibility best practices and innovations readily available to policymakers, tech innovators, and the disability community. It contains vast research on accessibility innovation and disability policies in an easily accessible format, promoting successes and learnings across regions.
A Vision of Universal Access
At the Rijksmuseum, the goal extends beyond Amsterdam. Museum leaders want to inspire cultural institutions worldwide to make their artworks accessible. As Floris Horsman, a Microsoft Cloud Solution Architect who was born with low vision, eloquently states: "Access to art is access to our humanity. It is a collective good. For everyone."
This vision captures the essence of accessible AI—technology that doesn't just assist but empowers, that doesn't segregate but includes, and that recognizes accessibility as a universal benefit rather than a specialized accommodation.
As generative AI continues to evolve, its integration into everyday tools and services promises to create a more inclusive world where barriers to participation—whether in museums, workplaces, or daily life—are progressively dismantled.
Source: Microsoft EU Policy Blog