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

Today, we celebrated the 15th annual Microsoft Ability Summit in grand style, welcoming over 20,000 passionate attendees from 164 countries. It was an entirely virtual gathering focused on the promising future of AI and accessibility. Microsoft’s commitment to accessibility stretches back more than 30 years, beginning with early features in Windows 95 and continuing robustly today through our latest hardware and software upgrades driven by AI. We are pressing forward with greater speed, and it’s the people with disabilities who continue to inspire and lead us.

Accessibility isn’t just a benefit for those with disabilities; it’s a foundational right that improves tech usability for everyone. Across the globe, people are enhancing their daily lives with Microsoft technologies. For instance, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is transforming workplace productivity. Over 10 million folks are using Edge’s “Read Aloud” feature every month, and more than a million people are making use of Immersive Reader for easier page navigation. Partners like Tobii Dynavox and Special Olympics are utilizing AI to aid individuals with disabilities worldwide. These are just some highlights from our fascinating discussions today!

Let’s dive into the exciting array of new accessibility products, features, and programs unveiled at the 2025 Ability Summit.

#### What’s New in 2025?

One of the standout announcements was the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, now exclusively available at the Microsoft Store. With over 429 million gamers with disabilities across the globe, we understand that each gamer has unique needs and preferences. This wired controller is specifically crafted for players with limited mobility, easily fitting into existing gaming setups. Developed in close partnership with the Gaming and Disability community, it adds another versatile tool to our adaptive products line—including the Xbox Adaptive Controller, mouse, pen, and adaptive kit. More details await you over at Xbox Support.

Moreover, our product packaging now champions accessibility and sustainability. Bid farewell to those pesky plastic clamshells! At the Summit, the Packaging and Content Team introduced the Accessible Packaging Design Guide, a resource filled with guidelines and strategies to craft inclusive packaging, ensuring trust and a delightful customer experience.

Our partners and internal teams also shared groundbreaking ways they’re pushing the boundaries of accessibility through tech advancements:

Tobii Dynavox is integrating Microsoft’s Neural Voice from Azure AI Speech into their assistive communication aids. This AI-powered feature offers personalized options for those using communication devices with eye gaze technology. Available in more than 50 languages through TD Talk and TD Phone, it truly changes the game.

Microsoft Teams is getting smarter for those using Sign Language View. Later this year, Teams will automatically identify users relying on sign language and highlight them as key speakers. This is part of our continuous effort to ensure anyone—regardless of communication method—can fully participate in conversations.

Copilot is proving to be a boon for neurodiverse talent. A recent EY study revealed that 76% of neurodiverse employees experienced improved work performance thanks to Copilot’s enhancing capabilities, including better communication, memory recall, and concentration. At the Summit, we showcased how features like Team Reflow and PowerPoint Designer are enhancing workflow efficiency for real-world users in New York.

AI is giving Narrator newfound strength. This spring, new AI-powered rich image descriptions will debut in Windows Insider Preview, and Azure AI Foundry is rolling out UI upgrades designed to lessen cognitive strain.

Education in accessibility is expanding, too. Over 5 million learners globally have joined our Accessibility Skilling program, thanks in part to partnerships with Teach Access, Computacenter UK, and New York City. This free, virtual training is packed with the latest in AI and is ripe for integration into organizational learning systems.

There’s even more: through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, our Speech Accessibility Project has achieved a 60% improvement in speech recognition accuracy for non-standard speech, thanks to the capabilities unlocked through Azure’s platform.

And let’s not forget the Special Olympics! Copilot has revolutionized training for their coaches and athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, setting them up for triumph at the World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

All this progress comes from dedicated minds designing technology with accessibility at its core. It’s about making technology universally beneficial, driving both productivity and innovation. This ethos shines in the inspiring story of Dave Dame, Senior Director of Accessibility and Human Factors at Microsoft, who shared how accessible tech empowers his leadership role.

#### Onward

For three decades now, Microsoft has put accessibility front and center in our products. These features not only improve our tools and technologies for everyone but also propel innovation globally. From the advent of Sticky Keys and speech recognition in Windows 95 to the transformative Seeing AI in 2016, accessibility innovations have created unexpected benefits. Think about how closed captions have become essential for everyone in video calls and media consumption.

AI has the potential to drive monumental advancements across every economic and societal sector, and we’re committed to delivering these cutting-edge technologies responsibly to those who need them most.

Whether this is your first or fifteenth Ability Summit, we appreciate your participation and hope you discovered a feature, skill, or insight that empowers you and your community to make the most of technology. All the event’s content will be available for you to revisit.

Let’s continue this journey together.

Tags: accessibility, AI, AI for Accessibility, Azure, Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft Ability Summit, Microsoft Teams, Xbox