Accessibility & Inclusion Weekly AI News

December 29 - January 6, 2026

This weekly update highlights how agentic AI systems are becoming more accessible to different groups of people and organizations. One important development comes from the U.S. government, which set new standards showing that accessibility and usability are not optional extras—they are required. These government rules are helping shape how agentic AI tools should work for everyone. In the broader tech world, companies are working to lower barriers to entry for building AI agents. DeepSeek's democratization of advanced AI models meant that more people worldwide could create their own agentic systems without spending huge amounts of money. Large technology companies like IBM, Amazon, and Google are releasing open-source tools and platforms that let developers build and deploy AI agents more easily. The Linux Foundation created the Agentic AI Foundation to establish shared standards and best practices, making it easier for different agent systems to work together seamlessly. Companies in professional services, including the Big Four accounting firms, are now giving their employees and sometimes even clients access to AI agent systems, expanding who can benefit from this technology. This shift reflects a broader recognition that agentic AI should be available and usable for people with different technical skill levels and different needs across various organizations worldwide.

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