AI in Tech and Gaming Microsoft shared big updates at their annual Ability Summit. Their new Xbox Adaptive Joystick lets gamers with movement challenges customize controls. Windows will soon use AI to describe photos aloud through the Narrator feature. Microsoft Teams is improving its Sign Language View to make signers more visible during calls. A university project used AI to make voice commands 60% more accurate for people with speech differences.

Education Tools Schools are adopting AI to help students with disabilities. Speech-to-text tools let teachers dictate lessons instead of typing. AI programs like Microsoft Copilot can adjust charts for colorblind students. New resources teach colleges how to use AI without leaving disabled students behind. However, some worry that banning AI in classrooms could hurt students who need these tools.

Workplace Help Companies are using AI transcription to caption meetings and create accessible documents. Tools like Wordly provide real-time translations for workers speaking different languages. But studies show some AI hiring tools unfairly score people with disabilities lower. Over 95% of websites still fail basic accessibility checks despite new AI helpers.

Ethical Challenges The American Foundation for the Blind warned that AI systems often don’t include enough disability data. A University of Washington study found AI sometimes creates "robot-like" text that’s hard to understand. Developers are being urged to test AI with diverse groups and fix "ableist assumptions".

Global Events Johns Hopkins University held workshops about avoiding AI bias in schools. Upcoming Global Accessibility Awareness Day events will showcase AI projects from Mexico to Canada. Libraries worldwide are using AI to make historical records more inclusive.

Local Innovations The city of Moreno Valley, USA added AI translators to help residents access services in multiple languages. Salesforce created training for hosting accessible virtual events. Ride-sharing apps like Uber now offer self-driving cars with wheelchair-friendly features in Texas.

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