Advancements in technology do not always mean progress in accessibility.
Going back to the early days of the internet, the first iteration of the World Wide Web, also known as Web 1.0, was generally considered more accessible than Web 2.0, particularly for users with visual impairments and those using assistive technologies. Research has demonstrated that early static websites posed fewer barriers to accessibility than their dynamic, interactive successors, though Web 2.0 eventually developed solutions to address some of these challenges.
The budding technology of Web 1.0 provided an unprecedented level of accessibility for people with disabilities, but without prioritizing digital inclusion and centralizing accessibility principles, Web 2.0 excluded many people with disabilities from fully accessing the internet. In other words, it barred them from completely interacting with the world during the Information Age.
This exclusion has been especially detrimental for professionals with disabilities.
As artificial intelligence (AI) proliferates, similar concerns about accessibility are being raised by people with disabilities and their allies. Will generative AI enhance accessibility or will it reinforce lingering barriers for those with disabilities?
With intentionality, such as the “shift left” approach–cloud-based software company Salesforce’s design principle that puts accessibility at the beginning of the design process–hope remains that AI can become a powerful tool for enhancing accessibility and empowering professionals with disabilities.
Headquartered in San Francisco, the tech leader is using AI to support the careers of workers with disabilities through at least two AI-driven developments: Retain and Cephable.
Key Takeaways
In May 2024, Salesforce launched Retain. This AI-powered platform, created in partnership with Inclusively, helps employees with disabilities overcome workplace accessibility challenges. Users receive customized tools that adapt to their unique working styles and preferences.
“I’m excited about leveraging advancements like generative AI to enhance our ability to support and innovate for our colleagues in the disability community,” says Federica Terrenzio, Director of Salesforce’s Disabilities at Work. “By understanding that 76% of individuals with disabilities choose not to disclose their condition at work, we’ve developed programs like Retain, an AI-powered platform that streamlines resource identification and support in full confidentiality.”
First off, Retain features an interactive chatbot. Employees navigate accessibility needs instantly, without waiting for formal consultations, giving them greater autonomy and independence. This innovative approach transforms traditional accommodation processes through:
It’s worth noting that Salesforce maintains its Accessibility Consultation Program alongside Retain, amplifying its efforts to make the workplace more accessible.
Through a partnership with UK-based accessibility leader Microlink, this program enables employees to connect with one-on-one consultants who identify tailored resources and accommodations when a more personal touch is needed. This is a welcome contrast to the frustrating and sometimes impersonal experiences many professionals with disabilities have when trying to navigate workplace accommodations.
“Professionals with disabilities want to get the tools they need to succeed with minimal effort, managerial approvals, or added costs to their team,” explains Kristian Burch, Director of Accessibility Programs and Compliance at Salesforce. “We are proud to offer a robust assistive technology (AT) library with a simple request form that does not require manager approvals or costs. In fact, managers are not even informed that an employee has received a license to the AT.”
AI-powered tools like Retain dramatically improve workplace experiences for professionals with disabilities, shifting the burden. Gone are the days of navigating complex accommodation systems alone.
Retain recognizes that accessibility needs evolve. What works today might not work tomorrow. What empowers one professional with a mobility impairment may not work for another. By combining artificial intelligence with thoughtful design, the platform creates a more responsive support system that adapts as needs shift.
This represents just one example of AI's transformative potential in workplace accessibility. It empowers. It simplifies. Most importantly, it creates environments where professionals with disabilities can thrive on their own terms.
Retain and the Accessibility Consultation Program are available to U.S.-based employees only, but Salesforce hopes to expand geographically in the future.
Cephable represents another significant advancement in how AI is improving accessibility for professionals with disabilities. This new technology grew out of research and prototypes that its founder and CEO, Alex Dunn, created during the COVID pandemic, designed to help his younger brother with a disability to better interact with games and school work.
“It came from seeing the low-level accessibility problems first hand,” Dunn explains. Further prototypes were built by “working with our community at every step of the process,” he continues. “The original prototypes that became Cephable were called the Enabled Play Controllers and were actually a separate hardware device I was hand-building in my basement and shipping out to early adopters.”
He says he would personally email or call every new user back then, around 200 people at the time. This helped him understand what users were trying to do with alternative inputs.
This innovative platform transforms how users interact with technology through a variety of alternative input methods powered by private, offline artificial intelligence.
Brooke Eby is a long-time Salesforce employee diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing progressive loss of muscle control. No longer able to go to the office regularly or travel easily for conferences, she mostly works remotely now. As the disease has worsened, Cephable has empowered her to continue working in her present role.
“My ability to work has decreased a ton,” she says. “Once my hand started getting weaker, it got harder for me to type and use a mouse. I’m so grateful that my accessibility team reached out about this technology because it allows me to work using voice commands, which will allow me to work for much longer into my diagnosis.”
Cephable offers a unique approach to digital accessibility by providing multiple ways to control computers and devices without traditional inputs.
The platform utilizes speech-to-text, facial expressions, tilt controls, head movements, and more to create an accessible tech experience. For instance, you might speak a phrase to switch between browsers or to open a different software program. But what makes Cephable particularly powerful is its use of offline AI processing—all data stays on your device, ensuring privacy while delivering fast, real-time performance.
Unlike many accessibility tools that focus solely on one type of input, Cephable provides a comprehensive suite of control options:
Cephable’s voice command features have been the most impactful for Eby.
“So far, I’ve been experimenting with voice control the most,” she says. “I love that it can open applications, respond to messages, and allow me to do basic work tasks that I haven’t been able to do quickly in a long time.”
For professionals with disabilities, this flexibility empowers them to leverage their existing capabilities rather than forcing adaptation to rigid control schemes. And it removes a lot of pre-existing barriers their non-disabled peers never have to worry about.
A key differentiator in Cephable's approach is its commitment to data privacy. Unlike many AI tools that process information in the cloud, Cephable uses offline AI, so your data stays on your computer. No internet connection is needed, and no information gets shared with third parties.
This makes it particularly valuable in professional environments where data security is paramount, a major concern for knowledge and tech workers.
Cephable offers versions for different user needs, including Professional, Education, and Personal editions. The platform is designed to be versatile enough for gaming, productivity, and specialized professional applications. Users can create custom control profiles and integrate Cephable with many common software applications they’re already using.
The free, Personal version available on app stores provides a way for individuals to experiment with alternative inputs without financial commitment. More feature-rich Professional and Education versions are available for those who need advanced capabilities.
Cephable exemplifies how AI can transform accessibility when thoughtfully implemented—creating tools that adapt to users' needs rather than forcing users to adapt to technology. This is a game-changer for professionals with disabilities who have worked for organizations where the burden of responsibility has been placed squarely on them to adjust rather than employers providing relevant accommodations.
AI is certainly opening new doors and removing barriers, but unless people with disabilities are involved in these developments, Dunn worries AI will halt accessibility progress.
“If people with disabilities aren’t included at each step of the way, we’ll find that solutions are made in inaccessible ways,” he says. “In terms of AI, this means biased data, inaccessible UX, and ultimately that people are left behind at the new accelerated rate that AI pushes forward. We’re trying to be a big voice in making sure that doesn’t happen.”
By processing everything locally with private AI and offering flexible control methods, it represents an important advancement in creating more inclusive digital workspaces.
History has taught us that technological advancement doesn't automatically translate to greater accessibility. Just as the transition from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 initially created new barriers for people with disabilities, AI presents both tremendous opportunities and potential pitfalls.
The critical difference will be whether people with disabilities are actively involved in AI's development from the beginning. The "Nothing About Us Without Us" principle must guide AI innovation, ensuring that accessibility isn't an afterthought, but rather a foundational element of inclusive design.
Burch is firm in the belief that AI must be both accessible and inclusive:
“People with disabilities must be involved at every stage of AI LLM development to ensure inclusive models are inclusive, and do not provide harmful language or guidance.”
Tools such as Retain and Cephable are just two examples of what's possible when accessibility drives development rather than being retrofitted later. When professionals with disabilities participate in creating AI systems, we get solutions that genuinely address real needs—private processing that protects sensitive data, flexible inputs that adapt to users rather than forcing adaptation, and systems that respect autonomy and dignity.
“I spent the first 12 years in the workforce able-bodied, so after my ALS diagnosis, I had to adapt a ton,” Eby recalls. “Responding to emails takes 10 times the amount of time it used to. I constantly make typos and need help with basic tasks like opening my laptop and typing in my password. Anything that could make those tasks faster makes me a more productive employee for a company that’s been there for me throughout my entire diagnosis.”
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in workplace technologies, this inclusive approach to development will determine whether it becomes a force for greater equity or another layer of exclusion for professionals with disabilities.
As a Founding Partner of InclusionHub, Salesforce collaborates to help bring greater accessibility and digital inclusion to the professional world. Visit its a11y website to learn more.