Today marked an incredible milestone as we held the 15th annual Microsoft Ability Summit. This year, our virtual stage welcomed more than 20,000 participants from 164 nations, each eager to explore the evolving landscape of AI and accessibility. Microsoft’s dedication to accessibility can be traced back to its origins over 30 years ago with initial accessibility features in Windows 95, continuing today with innovative AI-driven hardware and software. We’re advancing at an unprecedented pace and, importantly, those with disabilities are at the forefront of this progress.
Ensuring accessibility isn’t just a necessity for individuals with disabilities—it enhances technology for all users. This is evident in the ways people worldwide are engaging with Microsoft technologies. For example, Microsoft 365’s Copilot is revolutionizing workplace productivity, over 10 million people utilize the Edge browser’s Read Aloud feature monthly, and more than a million rely on Immersive Reader for easier web reading. Our partners, such as Tobii Dynavox and the Special Olympics, are expanding AI’s reach to disabled communities worldwide. These examples barely scratch the surface of what we unveiled today!
Let’s dive into the exciting new accessibility products, features, and programs unveiled at the 2025 Ability Summit.
What’s new in 2025?
We’ve introduced the new Xbox Adaptive Joystick, available exclusively at the Microsoft Store. With approximately 429 million gamers who have disabilities globally, we understand the diversity of their needs and preferences. This wired controller was crafted primarily for individuals with limited mobility and integrates smoothly into existing gaming setups. The joystick was developed in collaboration with the Gaming and Disability community to ensure it meets real-world needs and complements our range of adaptive accessories, which includes a mouse, pen, adaptive kit, and the Xbox Adaptive Controller. For more information, check out Xbox Support.
Additionally, all our Microsoft hardware now features packaging that is both accessible and sustainable—say goodbye to those pesky plastic clamshells! During the Summit, our Packaging and Content Team unveiled the Accessible Packaging Design Guide, providing actionable guidelines and strategies to create user-friendly packaging and enhance customer trust.
At the event, various Microsoft teams and associates also detailed their ongoing efforts to further accessibility through tech:
- Tobii Dynavox is incorporating Microsoft Neural Voice, an Azure AI Speech feature, into their assistive communication platforms, enhancing the personalization available to users who rely on eye gaze technology. Neural Voices will support over 50 languages within their TD Talk and TD Phone applications.
- Microsoft Teams is set to improve accessibility for users of sign language. This enhancement, arriving later this year, will allow Teams to recognize when someone is signing and spotlight them as a key speaker during meetings.
- Copilot is making waves among neurodiverse talent. A recent EY study found that Copilot boosted job performance for 76% of neurodiverse employees by aiding communication, memory, and concentration. At the Summit, we showcased simple tools like Team Reflow and PowerPoint Designer, demonstrating how they facilitate work for diverse users. In New York, early Copilot adopters shared their experiences.
We’ve also introduced AI-enhanced features to Narrator, with rich image descriptions set to be included in the Windows Insider Preview this coming spring. In another exciting development, Azure AI Foundry revealed new UI improvements designed to minimize cognitive demands.
Our Accessibility Skilling program has reached over 5 million learners globally, thanks to partners like Teach Access, Computacenter UK, and New York City. This free virtual training, equipped with the latest AI insights, is available for organizations to implement in their learning systems.
The Speech Accessibility Project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has achieved a significant breakthrough, improving speech recognition accuracy by up to 60% for non-standard speech. Concurrently, the Azure platform team showcased how developers can use GitHub Copilot to craft accessible code.
The Special Olympics illustrated how Copilot transformed training experiences for athletes and coaches with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.
These advancements are a testament to those who design tech with accessibility at the heart. This collaborative approach not only makes workplaces more efficient but also uplifts everyone involved. Dave Dame, Microsoft’s Senior Director of Accessibility and Human Factors, shares how such tech empowers him as a leader.
Looking Ahead
For more than three decades, our focus has been on embedding accessibility into Microsoft products. These innovations not only improve user experience for everyone but also spark new waves of creativity and problem-solving worldwide. From the introduction of Sticky Keys and speech recognition in Windows 95 to Seeing AI in 2016, the ripple effects of our innovations continue to surprise and serve diverse needs. Take closed captions as an example—they’ve become indispensable for many viewers.
AI holds the promise of dramatic advancements across every facet of our economy and society. We’ll continue to approach this journey thoughtfully, striving to deliver cutting-edge tech to those who can benefit most.
Whether you’re a newcomer to the Ability Summit or a seasoned participant, thanks for being part of this exciting event. We hope you discovered a new feature, skill, or insight that benefits you, your community, or your organization. All the summit content will be accessible for viewing after the event.
Here’s to moving forward together!
