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

The 15th annual Microsoft Ability Summit took place today, welcoming more than 20,000 virtual participants from 164 countries who gathered to explore the future of AI and accessibility. For over three decades, Microsoft has been committed to accessibility, a tradition beginning with Windows 95 and continuing with the integration of AI into our latest hardware and software. Innovation is advancing rapidly, and people with disabilities remain pivotal in guiding our strides.

For individuals with disabilities, accessibility is not just a feature but a fundamental right—moreover, it simplifies technology for everyone. This inclusivity is evident in the way customers utilize Microsoft tech globally. Copilot for Microsoft 365 has revolutionized workplace efficiency, while the Edge browser serves over 10 million users monthly by reading webpages aloud. More than a million people benefit from Immersive Reader, enhancing web content readability, and partners like Tobii Dynavox and Special Olympics are leveraging AI to empower individuals with disabilities worldwide. These are just some highlights from today’s gathering!

Let me give you a rundown of the fresh accessibility products, features, and programs we revealed at the 2025 Ability Summit.

What’s new in 2025?

We’re thrilled to announce that the Xbox Adaptive Joystick is now available exclusively through the Microsoft Store. With over 429 million disabled gamers worldwide, each player has distinct preferences for play style. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick caters to players with limited mobility and is designed for easy integration with existing gaming setups. Developed alongside the Gaming and Disability community, this wired controller adds to our lineup of adaptive devices like the mouse, pen, adaptive kit, and Xbox Adaptive Controller. More details can be found at Xbox Support.

Our Microsoft hardware now ships with packaging that’s both accessible and eco-friendly—bye-bye, plastic clamshells! The Packaging and Content Team has released the Accessible Packaging Design Guide, offering practical steps, best practices, and strategies to develop accessible packaging and enhance customer experience.

At the Summit, our teams and partners shared more innovative ways we’re using technology to further accessibility:

Tobii Dynavox is incorporating Microsoft Neural Voice, an Azure AI Speech capability, into their assistive communication solutions. This AI-driven feature provides personalized options for those using eye-gaze communication devices. Neural Voices, available in over 50 languages, enhance applications like TD Talk and TD Phone.

Microsoft Teams is set to improve accessibility for users of Sign Language View. This year, Teams will recognize sign language users, featuring them prominently as speakers during meetings—a part of our ongoing effort to ensure clear, accessible communication for everyone.

Copilot is also making strides in supporting neurodiverse talent. A recent EY study shows Copilot helps 76% of neurodiverse employees perform better in work by enhancing their communication and focus. During the Summit, we showcased how features like Team Reflow and PowerPoint Designer are aiding workplace productivity. We heard firsthand experiences from four early Copilot adopters in New York.

We’ve introduced AI-powered rich image descriptions to Narrator, which will be available in a Windows Insider Preview this spring. Meanwhile, Azure AI Foundry is rolling out new UI improvements aimed at reducing cognitive load.

Our Accessibility Skilling program has reached over 5 million learners globally, thanks to partners like Teach Access, Computacenter UK, and the City of New York. This free virtual training, now updated with AI content, is accessible for organizations to incorporate into their learning management systems.

Speech recognition enhancements have improved accuracy by up to 60%. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Speech Accessibility Project made breakthroughs in understanding non-standard speech, and the Azure team showed how developers can use GitHub Copilot to create accessible code.

Additionally, Special Olympics highlighted how Copilot has transformed training for their coaches and athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, particularly at events like the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

All these advancements result from designers focused on accessibility, benefiting everyone and fostering a more productive, efficient workplace. Dave Dame, Senior Director of Accessibility and Human Factors at Microsoft, exemplifies how accessible tech empowers leadership and success.

Onward

For more than 30 years, Microsoft has prioritized accessibility, enhancing tools and technologies for a better experience that drives innovation globally. From early features like Sticky Keys to pioneering apps like Seeing AI, our developments have enriched lives far beyond our expectations—like how closed captions have become indispensable for video and calls alike.

AI holds immense potential for advancing society and the economy. Our approach remains responsible and grounded, ensuring technology reaches those who can benefit most.

Whether this marks your first or fifteenth Ability Summit, thank you for participating. We hope you’ve discovered new features, skills, or insights to benefit you, your community, or organization. Post-event, all content will be accessible for viewing.

Let’s move forward together!