Microsoft launches five-year, $25 million 'AI for Accessibility' initiative

Microsoft launches v-year, $25 million 'AI for Accessibility' initiative

The goal is to provide developers with the means to build tools aimed at improving accessibility

Redmond computing giant Microsoft has announced a new initiative aimed at improving the lives of individuals who live with accessibility needs.

Announced at the company's Build 2018 briefing in Seattle, 'AI for Accessibility' is a iii-pace, five-year, $25 meg USD program designed to provide developers working with AI to build tools that "do good the 1 billion+ people with disabilities around the world," according to Microsoft president and master legal officer Brad Smith.

"AI can be a game changer for people with disabilities," said Smith. "Already we're witnessing this as people with disabilities aggrandize their apply of computers to hear, run across and reason with impressive accuracy."

The new initiative will be run by Microsoft's Accessibility team and primary accessibility officer Jenny Lay-Flurrie.

AI for Accessibility will provide seed grants in the form of engineering for developers, universities, organizations and inventors using artificial intelligence (AI) to create solutions for individuals with accessibility needs.

The programme will identify the about promising projects "and make larger investments of applied science and access to Microsoft AI experts to assistance bring them to scale."

Finally, Smith said that Microsoft will work alongside its partners to "incorporate AI innovations into platform level services to empower others to maximize the accessibility of their offerings."

"Past innovating for people with disabilities, we are innovating for usa all," said Smith. "By ensuring that technology fulfills its promise to accost the broadest societal needs, we tin can empower anybody – not just individuals with disabilities – to achieve more."