Microsoft Ability Summit 2025: Embracing Accessibility in the Age of AI

Today marked a milestone as the 15th Microsoft Ability Summit unfolded, uniting over 20,000 participants from 164 countries on a virtual stage to delve into the future landscapes shaped by AI and accessibility. Microsoft’s dedication to accessibility is part of our very fabric, tracing its roots back more than three decades with the first accessible features emerging in Windows 95. Fast forward to today, where our innovations powered by AI have accelerated, with individuals with disabilities steering the ship of change.

Access to technology is a right everyone should enjoy, and ensuring accessibility means heightened ease for all users. This is clearly evidenced by how Microsoft technologies are embraced globally. The introduction of Copilot for Microsoft 365 has revolutionized workplace productivity. Furthermore, over 10 million users each month utilize Edge’s Read Aloud feature for web accessibility, more than 1 million enjoy Immersive Reader for better webpage readability, and collaborations with partners like Tobii Dynavox and Special Olympics are expanding AI’s reach to those with disabilities worldwide. These highlights were just the beginning of what we shared today!

Allow me to take you through the main announcements from the 2025 Ability Summit.

### What’s New in 2025?

A major announcement was the launch of the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, now exclusively available at the Microsoft Store. With a global community of 429 million gamers with disabilities, personalized gaming experiences are fundamental. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is a versatile, wired controller primarily crafted for players with limited mobility, designed in collaboration with the Gaming and Disability communities from its inception. This joins our suite of adaptive accessories like the mouse, pen, adaptive kit, and Xbox Adaptive Controller. For further details, you can check out Xbox Support.

We’ve also taken strides with our packaging, making all Microsoft hardware packaging not only accessible but also sustainable—no more plastic clamshells to navigate! Today’s summit also saw the unveiling of the Accessible Packaging Design Guide from Microsoft’s Packaging and Content Team, furnishing practical advice and strategies for others aiming to embrace accessible packaging and enhance customer trust.

Our dedication to accessibility was further highlighted through presentations by Microsoft teams and partners, showcasing how they are progressing accessibility through technology:

Tobii Dynavox is now integrating Microsoft Neural Voice, a feature of Azure AI Speech, into its assistive communication devices. This offers more personalized options for users relying on eye gaze technology. Neural Voices, fluent in over 50 languages, are embedded in their TD Talk and TD Phone applications.

Microsoft Teams is innovating for those who use Sign Language View by planning enhancements later this year that will automatically spotlight users communicating via sign language, ensuring they are featured prominently during meetings. These video enhancements continue our mission to facilitate clear, accessible communication for all.

Copilot is proving to be a crucial tool for neurodiverse talents. A recent EY study highlighted how Copilot has helped 76% of neurodiverse employees improve their work performance by enhancing communication, memory retention, and focus. At the summit, we highlighted new features such as Team Reflow and PowerPoint Designer, which aid users in their daily tasks. This was further illustrated by four early adopters in New York, who shared their experiences.

In addition, AI is adding rich image descriptions to Narrator, coming to the Windows Insider Preview this spring, while the Azure AI Foundry also unveiled new UI improvements to reduce cognitive load.

Our global Accessibility Skilling program has now reached over 5 million learners, thanks to collaborations with partners like Teach Access, Computacenter UK, and the City of New York. This free, virtual training offers insights on the latest in AI and can be incorporated into any organization’s learning systems.

Moreover, the Speech Accessibility Project pioneered by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign achieved a groundbreaking improvement in speech recognition accuracy for non-standard speech by up to 60%, and Azure’s platform demonstrated how developers can use GitHub Copilot to draft accessible code.

The Special Olympics revealed how Copilot has transformed the training regimen for their coaches and athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, preparing them for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

All these advancements are driven by the ingenuity of those designing technology with an accessibility-first mindset. It’s this approach that not only makes the tech more efficient but ultimately benefits us all, exemplified in the story of Dave Dame, Microsoft’s Senior Director of Accessibility and Human Factors, who shared how accessible tech has empowered him as a leader.

### Onward

For over three decades, accessibility has been a cornerstone of Microsoft’s product development. It simplifies technology for everyone while also fueling worldwide innovation. From the introduction of Sticky Keys and speech recognition in Windows 95 to the release of Seeing AI in 2016, these innovations have empowered individuals in ways both anticipated and unexpectedly profound, much like how closed captions have become indispensable for all video and call viewers.

We believe AI holds the potential to revolutionize sectors across every corner of our society and economy, and we pledge to advance responsibly to deliver the latest technology to those who need it most.

Whether this was your inaugural or your fifteenth Ability Summit, we’re grateful for your participation, and hope you’ve found new insights, skills, or tools to enhance your community or organization’s technological engagement. All the contents remain accessible for viewing post-event.

Let’s continue pushing the boundaries together.