Happy GAAD: Accessibility, AI, and the Future We’re Shaping

You may not have heard of GAAD before. It stands for Global Accessibility Awareness Day—a day dedicated to talking about digital access and inclusion for people with disabilities. Whether you're a small business owner, a solopreneur, a tech founder, or just someone who builds websites, writes content, or runs online communities, this matters to you more than you might think.

Accessibility isn't just about compliance or doing what's “right”—it's about reaching more people, improving user experience for everyone, and building technology that works in the real world. It’s also the law in many places. But even more than that, it's a human issue. Digital accessibility affects how people get jobs, stay informed, learn, shop, and participate in everyday life.

Today, we have the chance—and the tools—to make the web more inclusive than ever. But we also face new challenges that could leave people further behind. That’s why I’m writing this, and why I hope you’ll keep reading.

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)—a critical moment to recognize how far we’ve come in building a more inclusive digital world, and how far we still need to go. As someone who is blind and works at the intersection of tech and accessibility, I see both hope and warning signs on the horizon.

Let’s be honest—many apps, websites, and services in 2025 are still not accessible. From missing alt text and unlabeled buttons to entire platforms that rely on visuals with no alternatives, the digital landscape is riddled with barriers. This reality persists even as we hear more about AI making everything “smart” and “seamless.”

So, where do we stand? We’re at a strange moment in time. The vibes are off. Accessibility sometimes feels like it's taking a back seat in the public conversation, and the growing reliance on AI raises real questions: will artificial intelligence make everything fully accessible—or will it lull us into thinking we don’t need accessibility standards at all?

Let’s be clear: AI is not a substitute for accessibility. It’s a tool that can enhance accessibility—when designed and deployed responsibly. But even the most advanced AI can't replace inclusive design, lived experience, or compliance with standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Speaking of WCAG, the community is now looking toward the next version. WCAG 3.0 is in development, and it aims to be broader, more flexible, and grounded in user outcomes. But it’s not here yet. And with AI evolving faster than our standards, we risk falling into a gap between capability and accountability.

Meanwhile, practices like Vibe coding are often totally inaccessible. New startups aren’t prioritizing disability inclusion, and the excitement around AI is giving some developers the excuse to skip the fundamentals. That’s dangerous.

Here’s the message I want to leave you with this GAAD: AI is a powerful ally—but accessibility still matters. Standards matter. Design matters. Lived experience matters. And we, as technologists, creators, and advocates, must push forward with intention.

If you care about accessibility, or you want to see what an AI-inclusive future can look like, subscribe to my Substack. I write about these topics regularly, and I’m always looking to spark new conversations.

Let’s build something better, together.