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.

Not all uses of AI-generated sign language carry the same level of risk. In low-risk public information contexts — such as airports, train stations, or general announcements — AI sign language may be acceptable if it is clearly presented as assistive and not a replacement for human interpretation. However, the situation changes in high-stakes contexts . In medicine , errors can affect consent, diagnosis, and patient safety. In justice , misinterpretation can affect rights,

Generative AI is now being used to convert written text or spoken language into sign language avatars for websites, videos and public communication. Innovation in accessibility is positive. However, when working with British Sign Language (BSL), accuracy is essential. BSL is a complete language. It has its own grammar, structure and visual rules. If these rules are not clear, meaning can change. HOLMN: The Foundation of BSL Every sign in BSL depends on five key elements. Thes

Spatiality and phonology are core parts of sign language. Many current AI systems still struggle to represent them accurately. When errors appear in AI-generated sign language, responsibility is often implicitly placed on the human sign language translator involved. This is unfair and incorrect. In most systems, translators are not delivering sign language directly to the AI. They are contributing to datasets, often in the form of sign language gloss. Gloss is a simplified re

Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) , States, public bodies, universities, and organisations have clear obligations to recognise, promote, and protect sign languages — and the people who use and sustain them. As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies increasingly enter the field of sign language translation and accessibility, they are often framed as progress: faster access, wider reach, lower cost. Accessibility is impo