At the moment, we hosted the fifteenth annual Microsoft Means Summit, with over 20,000 attendees from 164 international locations coming collectively just about to debate the way forward for AI and accessibility. Microsoft has a long-standing dedication to investing in accessibility, grounded in our enterprise mannequin and going again over three a long time from the earliest accessibility options in Home windows 95 and persevering with in the present day with new {hardware} and software program functionalities powered by AI. We’re innovating sooner than ever earlier than and other people with disabilities proceed to prepared the ground.
Accessibility is a basic proper for folks with disabilities and makes expertise simpler for everybody. We see this mirrored in how prospects are utilizing Microsoft applied sciences world wide. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is unlocking office productiveness like by no means earlier than, greater than 10 million folks use Edge every month to have the online Learn Aloud, over 1 million folks use Immersive Reader to make webpages simpler to learn and companions like Tobii Dynavox and Particular Olympics are bringing AI to folks with disabilities globally. And these are simply a few of the highlights of what we shared in the present day!
Right here’s a fast abstract of the brand new accessibility merchandise, options and packages introduced on the 2025 Means Summit.
What’s new in 2025?
We introduced that the Xbox Adaptive Joystick is now out there for buy solely at Microsoft Retailer. With greater than 429 million gamers with disabilities worldwide, we all know every participant has distinctive wants and preferences for a way they select to play. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is a singular, wired controller primarily designed to satisfy the wants of gamers with restricted mobility. Its versatility helps gamers seamlessly incorporate it into their present gaming setups. Constructed with the Gaming and Incapacity neighborhood who inform the event of Xbox merchandise from the start. The joystick joins our household of adaptive equipment together with the mouse, pen, adaptive equipment and Xbox Adaptive Controller. For extra particulars go to Xbox Assist.
And all our Microsoft {hardware} is available in packaging designed to be accessible and sustainable. No extra plastic clamshells! To assist others with accessible packaging, in the present day on the Summit, the Packaging and Content material Group at Microsoft printed its Accessible Packaging Design Information, which affords sensible pointers, finest practices and techniques to create accessible packaging and foster a trusted buyer expertise.
On the Summit, Microsoft groups and companions additionally shared methods they’re working to additional advance accessibility by expertise:
Tobii Dynavox is integrating Microsoft Neural Voice, a functionality of Azure AI Speech, into their assistive communication options. This AI-powered characteristic offers extra private choices for people who use assistive communication gadgets utilizing eye gaze. Neural Voices can be found in over 50 languages inside their apps TD Discuss and TD Telephone.
Microsoft Groups will enhance for these utilizing Signal Language View. Later this yr, Groups will be capable to establish when somebody is utilizing signal language and have them prominently as a speaker within the assembly. These video customizations are a part of our ongoing product improvement to assist ship clear and accessible communication for everybody.
Copilot is powering neurodiverse expertise. Not too long ago, an EY examine discovered that Copilot helped 76% of neurodiverse staff carry out higher at work by enhancing communication, reminiscence recall and focus. On the Summit, we shared how new easy options like Group Reflow and PowerPoint Designer are serving to folks do their work. See 4 early adopters of Copilot in New York share their tales.
AI involves Narrator. Wealthy picture descriptions powered by AI shall be coming to Narrator in Home windows Insider Preview this spring and Azure AI Foundry introduced new UI enhancements to scale back cognitive load.
Over 5 million learners world wide have participated in our Accessibility Skilling program and we’re grateful to our companions together with Educate Entry, Computacenter UK and the Metropolis of New York. The free, digital coaching consists of the newest on AI and is on the market for organizations to make use of of their studying administration methods.
Speech recognition improved as much as 60%. The Speech Accessibility Mission, led by the College of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, unlocked a breakthrough bettering accuracy good points for non-standard speech, and the Azure platform crew demonstrated how builders can leverage GitHub Copilot to put in writing accessible code.
Particular Olympics shared how Copilot has been a game-changing coaching companion for his or her coaches and athletes with mental and improvement disabilities for the Particular Olympics World Winter Video games in Turin, Italy.
All this progress is feasible due to the individuals who design expertise with accessibility in thoughts. On this approach, expertise advantages everybody, making a extra productive and environment friendly office. It’s stunning to see that mirrored on this profile of Dave Dame, Senior Director of Accessibility and Human Components at Microsoft, the place he shared how accessible expertise helps him thrive as a pacesetter.
Onward
For over 30 years, Microsoft has centered on accessibility in our merchandise. Accessibility makes our instruments and applied sciences simpler for everybody and accelerates innovation for the world. From the introduction of Sticky Keys and speech recognition in Home windows 95 to Seeing AI in 2016 and past, accessibility improvements have benefited folks in methods we designed for and methods we may have by no means anticipated. Simply take into consideration how closed captions are actually invaluable for everybody watching movies and calls.
AI has the potential to create important developments throughout each sector of our financial system and society. We’ll proceed to be grounded and accountable in our method as we work to get the newest expertise to the individuals who can profit from it probably the most.
Whether or not that is your first or fifteenth Means Summit, thanks for becoming a member of and we hope you picked up a brand new characteristic, ability or nugget that helps you, your neighborhood or your group get probably the most out of expertise. All content material shall be out there to look at after the occasion.
Let’s transfer ahead collectively.
