Tim Scannell, Accessibility Consultant:

Enhancing Access for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by Focusing on Sign Language, Digital Accessibility, and Information Access for Everyone.

Artificial intelligence is developing fast, but live interpreting shows exactly where its limits still are. For prepared speeches, AI-generated sign language can look impressive. It performs best when the language is structured, the content is predictable, and the system operates on clean input. But conferences are rarely that simple. Live panels are unpredictable. Speakers interrupt each other. They react in the moment. They change direction. They overlap. They leave thought

Between 1999 and 2003 , when I was at university, one of my subjects was Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) . At that time, many people were still avoiding the Internet. Today, smartphones and smart devices give almost everyone access to apps and platforms across the Internet — the shift has been significant. We are now experiencing a similar moment with AI and sign language . There is increasing experimentation with signing via Meta platforms, AI-assisted accessibility tools,

On Sunday , 16 February , I published a blog post on “blurring the handshape.” The central point was simple: When the handshape is blurred, the meaning is blurred. This is not a minor technical issue. It is: a language integrity issue, an accessibility issue, and a Deaf rights issue. AI-generated signing is increasingly being presented as “accessibility.” However, sign language access is not merely visual output on a screen. Sign language access is a conversation. It dep

AI-generated sign-language interpretation is now appearing in public events. Accessibility is crucial, but so are clarity, linguistic accuracy, and accountability. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30TgqnxeRlk Observations on AI Signing From what I observed in the PIP window, the signing still looks stiff and choppy. The transitions feel unnatural. The clarity and linguistic accuracy need significant refinement. Without proper validation by Deaf communities and qualifi