Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming an important tool in web development. Developers now use AI-powered systems like ChatGPT Codex to write cleaner, faster, and smarter code. For those of us who care about accessibility, this feels like a great opportunity. Codex, for example, can suggest proper HTML tags, ARIA roles, alt text for images, and focus styles. These are all building blocks of an accessible website.
When a developer sits down to create a website, it can be easy to forget small but very important details. Something as simple as forgetting to label a button properly can make the difference between a website being accessible or completely confusing for a person using a screen reader. AI can step in here. It acts like a gentle guide that reminds developers to add semantic HTML, choose the right attributes, and keep accessibility in mind from the very beginning.
The main strength of AI is speed. It can analyze patterns in existing code and make suggestions instantly. Imagine writing a form, and Codex suggesting the right way to label fields for screen reader compatibility. Or when you add an image, Codex can remind you to include alt text and even propose a description. It can even point out focus styles so that users who navigate with a keyboard don’t lose track of where they are on the page. These may sound like small things, but together, they create a foundation for inclusive design.
In short, AI is like having an assistant who makes sure you don’t miss the basics of accessibility. It doesn’t make you an expert, but it helps you start in the right direction.
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Where AI Falls Short in Accessibility
As useful as AI is, it has clear limits. Accessibility is not just about code—it is about people. AI cannot live the experience of a blind user navigating a site with NVDA or JAWS. It cannot feel the frustration of losing track while using a keyboard because the focus indicator is too faint. It cannot judge if alt text is meaningful in context, or if ARIA attributes have been misused.
Let’s take an example. If you upload an image of a “blue button that says Submit,” AI might suggest alt text like *“blue button”*. But that is not helpful for a user who needs to know the purpose of the button. The correct description would be *“Submit form”*. AI often lacks the judgment to understand the true purpose of an element.
Another example is ARIA roles. AI might recommend adding roles to everything because it sees them as best practices. But accessibility experts know that sometimes “less is more.” Adding unnecessary ARIA can make the experience worse for screen reader users by creating clutter. AI doesn’t yet understand when “enough is enough.”
This is where we realize that AI is a tool, not a replacement for real-world testing. It can highlight possible improvements, but it cannot guarantee that the experience will work for people with different abilities.
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Why User Feedback Is Essential for Accessibility
Accessibility is not something you can check off with a list of technical fixes. It’s about whether real people can use your site comfortably and independently. That’s why user feedback is essential.
For example:
- Screen reader users can tell you if navigation makes logical sense and if labels are clear.
- Users with low vision can confirm whether focus indicators and contrast are strong enough.
- People with mobility challenges can check whether forms, buttons, or menus are easy to operate with assistive devices.
These are things no AI can “feel.” A tool might look at color contrast ratios and say, “Yes, this passes.” But a real user with low vision might still struggle to see the text because of background textures or glare. AI might say “the form is labeled,” but a user might find that the labels are confusing or not descriptive enough.
Accessibility is about human experience. Without feedback from real users, your site may meet technical requirements but still fail to serve the people who need it most. That’s why user testing is the heart of accessibility.
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AI and User Collaboration for True Accessibility
Some people think it’s a choice: either rely on AI tools or rely on human testers. In reality, the best results come when both work together.
AI is excellent for quick checks, pointing out missing alt text, or reminding developers about semantic HTML. It’s a great way to save time and reduce human error in repetitive tasks. But it should be treated as a first step, not the final answer.
After AI gives its suggestions, developers should then:
- Test the site with assistive technologies like screen readers or voice control software.
- Ask users with different abilities to interact with the site and share feedback.
- Fix issues based on real experience, not just on tool reports.
When developers, users, and AI work together, accessibility becomes stronger and more meaningful. AI makes development faster, but users bring truth.
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My Experience as a Screen Reader User and Accessibility Expert
I often hear people say, “AI will take over everything.” But in accessibility, human judgment will always matter. As a screen reader user, a developer, and an accessibility expert, I can tell within seconds if a site is usable or not.
AI might say, “This form is accessible,” but when I try it with NVDA or TalkBack, I may discover that labels are misleading or that error messages are not announced properly. I can also recognize when code gives too much or too little information. Sometimes AI over-explains things, making navigation frustrating. Sometimes it under-explains, leaving users lost. My experience allows me to strike the right balance.
I also notice things that tools miss. For example, AI might not realize that two buttons on a page have the same label but perform different actions. A user like me can spot this immediately because it creates confusion when using a screen reader. Similarly, I can feel when focus jumps unexpectedly or when the reading order doesn’t follow the visual layout.
These are not just technical errors; they are real usability problems. And the truth is, AI cannot simulate this lived experience. It doesn’t know what it feels like to get stuck in a loop, lose orientation, or hear “button button button” repeated endlessly. But I do. And that makes my feedback valuable.
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Conclusion: AI Gives Speed, But Users Ensure True Accessibility
Accessibility is about people first, not just about code or checklists. AI tools like ChatGPT Codex are powerful assistants. They can save time, guide developers, and prevent many common mistakes. But they are not replacements for user testing.
As developers, we should welcome AI as a helper while always remembering that only real users can confirm if a website truly works. Accessibility is complete only when people with disabilities can navigate comfortably, independently, and confidently.
The future of accessibility is not AI versus humans. It is AI and humans working together. AI gives speed, but users give truth.