Carlos Duarte, LASIGE’s integrated researcher and leader of the Accessibility and Ageing research line, participated in the “AI and Emerging Technologies in Improving Digital Accessibility” panel at the Accessible Europe: ICT 4 All event that took place on December 13 and 14, 2023, in Madrid, Spain.

The panel discussed the transformative power of AI in enhancing access to digital platforms and services for all, debating both the opportunities to break down barriers but also the ethical considerations to ensure that the potential of AI is harnessed responsibly. The LASIGE’s researcher emphasized the need to avoid the same mistakes that were made with the web and mobile platforms, where accessibility is not considered by default.

Accessible Europe: ICT 4 All is organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the European Commission (EC) and co-organized by the AccessibleEU Resource Centre. The event took place at Fundacion Once’s facilities in Madrid and was attended both onsite and online by hundreds of accessibility experts.