Only 3% of New Zealand organisations are meeting accessibility standards. In the cultural and public sectors, we know accessibility is crucial. Can AI be the answer to making our digital offerings more accessible?

Maia Miller from Aleph Accessibility explores the benefits and pitfalls of AI in achieving accessibility. She looks at real world cases of how AI can be used to help accessibility initiatives, and areas where we need to be wary. How can we leverage this new technology to increase access? Hint: it's not what you think!

This webinar was recorded on July 16, 2025 as part of the NDF Online Sessions.

References & resources:

- 1 in 4 NZers are disabled: https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/one-in-four-new-zealanders-identified-as-disabled/

- WebAIM Million Project: https://webaim.org/projects/million

- Free accessibility tools that we love: https://www.alephaccessibility.net/resources/free-accessibility-tools-that-we-love

- Comparing LLMs for alt-text generation by Dries Buytaert: https://dri.es/comparing-local-llms-for-alt-text-generation

- AI-Generated Images from AI-Generated Prompts by Adrian Roselli: https://adrianroselli.com/2023/01/ai-generated-images-from-ai-generated-prompts.html

- Is AI Ableist by Jeremy Andrew Davis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxAl3adfhjY

- Labour market statistics for disabled people - June 2024 quarter (Whaikaha): https://www.whaikaha.govt.nz/news/news/labour-market-statistics-for-disabled-people-june-2024-quarter

- Disposable income per year: Valuable 500, 2023 https://www.thevaluable500.com/update/disability-inclusion-means-including-disabled-customers

- 28% higher revenue: Accenture https://www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/a-com-migration/pdf/pdf-89/accenture-disability-inclusion-research-report.pdf

- AI Copyright Lawsuits in the US: https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/20825192/embed

- Māori Data and AI – guidance for business https://data.govt.nz/leadership/centre-for-data-ethics-and-innovation/guidance/maori-data-and-ai-guidance-for-business

- AI is a hype-fuelled dumpster fire that will burn down the planet and get you thrown in gaol by Chris Simon: https://chrissimon.au/speaking/talks/ai-is-a-hype-fuelled-dumpster-fire/

- Lauren Hayes, accessibility specialist in Wellington: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-h-a7300bb1/

- NZ Public Service AI Framework: https://www.digital.govt.nz/standards-and-guidance/technology-and-architecture/artificial-intelligence/public-service-artificial-intelligence-framework

Tools mentioned:

- Aleph Accessibility - Free accessibility tools that we love: https://www.alephaccessibility.net/resources/free-accessibility-tools-that-we-love

- Scribely - Alt Text tool - https://www.scribely.com/

- Be my eyes - Lend your eyes to your blind - https://www.bemyeyes.com/

- PiccyBot, Viddy Scribe, Audible Sight - Audio description generation - https://www.piccybot.com/, https://www.viddyscribe.com/, https://www.audiblesight.ai/