The Inclusive AI Institute (IAII), co-led by Professor Aurelien Portuese, founding director of the GW Competition and Innovation Lab at The George Washington University and Professor Raja Kushalnagar, founding director of the Artificial Intelligence, Accessibility and Sign Language Center of the Gallaudet University, seeks to address critical gaps in AI accessibility, particularly for the deaf community. With approximately 37.5 million US adults reporting hearing difficulties and over 500,000 using American Sign Language (ASL), the need for inclusive AI is urgent. Current regulatory frameworks, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), lack specific provisions for AI, and corporate practices often overlook accessibility features like real-time captioning or sign language recognition. This report outlines the institute’s mission, vision, and objectives, focusing on reforming laws and regulations and transforming corporate practices to ensure AI inclusivity. The rapid advancement of AI offers transformative potential but poses significant accessibility challenges for deaf individuals. Regulatory obstacles, such as the absence of AI-specific standards in the ADA and inconsistent enforcement of digital accessibility rules, hinder progress. For example, the DOJ’s Title II rule, effective April 24, 2024, mandates WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance for state and local government web content but does not explicitly cover AI systems. Similarly, corporate AI deployments often prioritize efficiency over accessibility, excluding deaf users from tools like voice assistants. The Inclusive AI Institute, leveraging Portuese’s expertise in competition policy and Kushalnagar’s leadership in accessible technology, aims to bridge these gaps through advocacy, research, and collaboration. The Inclusive AI Institute is dedicated to advocating for legislative and regulatory reforms and promoting corporate adoption of inclusive practices to ensure artificial intelligence (AI) is accessible and equitable, particularly for the deaf community. By leveraging expertise in competition policy and accessible technology, the institute drives systemic change to make AI a tool for empowerment and inclusion.
A future where AI serves as a transformative tool for inclusion, breaking down barriers for people with disabilities and ensuring equal access to opportunities in the digital age. A future where AI is a universal tool for empowerment, designed to be fully accessible and inclusive, enabling the deaf community and all individuals to thrive in a digital world without barriers. The institute envisions an AI landscape where inclusivity is a foundational principle, ensuring equitable access to technology for all.
The Inclusive AI Institute’s objectives address the dual goals of reforming laws and regulations and transforming corporate practices to enhance AI inclusivity, with a focus on the deaf community. These objectives are informed by identified regulatory pitfalls, including the lack of AI-specific accessibility standards, inconsistent enforcement, and rapid technological evolution outpacing regulation. The objectives are structured to be actionable, measurable, and aligned with the institute’s mission over a two-year period.
The objectives directly address identified regulatory and legislative pitfalls: Lack of AI-Specific Standards: Objectives 1 and 2 tackle the absence of AI accessibility standards in the ADA and FCC regulations, proposing clear mandates. Inconsistent Enforcement: Objective 4 supports stronger enforcement through research and advocacy, informing policymakers of compliance gaps. Rapid Technological Evolution: Objectives 3 and 5 address the fast pace of AI development by promoting proactive corporate guidelines and innovative solutions. Corporate Accountability: Objective 3 ensures corporations adopt accessibility-focused practices, reducing exclusion in AI deployments. The institute’s co-leadership by Professor Portuese, an expert in antitrust and innovation economics, and Professor Kushalnagar, a leader in accessible technology, ensures a balanced approach. Portuese’s expertise drives regulatory and corporate engagement, while Kushalnagar’s focus on deaf accessibility informs technical and community-driven solutions.
The alliance will undertake targeted projects to highlight the synergy between GWU and Gallaudet: Annual Conference: Inclusive AI Summit: Bridging Innovation and Accessibility. Description: A flagship event co-hosted by GWU and Gallaudet University, held annually to unite policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and deaf community representatives. The summit will feature keynote speeches from experts like Professor Portuese on regulatory frameworks and Professor Kushalnagar on accessibility innovations, panel discussions on AI inclusivity challenges, and workshops on technologies like real-time captioning and sign language recognition. Exhibitions will showcase inclusive AI solutions, such as virtual avatars for ASL translation. Accessibility will be prioritized with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, real-time captioning, and compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. The summit aims to foster collaboration, share research, and advocate for policy reforms to enhance AI accessibility. Webinars: Inclusive AI Insights. Description: A monthly webinar series designed to educate and engage stakeholders on inclusive AI. Topics include: AI Accessibility Standards; The Role of Policymakers in Promoting Inclusive AI: Discussing legislative reforms, such as ADA amendments, to ensure AI inclusivity; Case Studies; The Future of Sign Language Recognition in AI. Webinars will feature experts from academia, industry, and advocacy groups, such as the National Association of the Deaf, and will be recorded with captions for accessibility. The series aims to drive awareness and provide actionable insights for stakeholders. Events on the Hill / Research Seminars: Advancing Inclusive AI through Policy: A Briefing for Policymakers. Description: A half-day briefing in Washington, D.C., targeting legislators and their staff to advocate for AI accessibility reforms. The event will present research on regulatory gaps, such as the lack of AI-specific standards in the ADA, and propose amendments to Titles II and III. A panel discussion with deaf community representatives will highlight real-world accessibility challenges, emphasizing the need for features like real-time captioning. The briefing will leverage GWU’s policy networks and Gallaudet’s community insights to influence legislative agendas. Research Papers: Topics will include Regulatory Frameworks for Inclusive AI: A Comparative Analysis; Corporate Strategies for Inclusive AI: Best Practices and Case Studies Engagement: AI for All: Understanding Accessibility in Artificial Intelligence. Description: A campaign to educate the public about AI accessibility, using social media, blogs, and public service announcements on platforms like X. The campaign will highlight deaf experiences and showcase solutions like AI-powered captioning, drawing on successful models from InnoCaption. Launched in 2025, it aims to increase demand for inclusive AI. Corporations’ Best Practices: Inclusive AI Development Guidelines for Corporations; Inclusive AI Certification.
The Inclusive AI Institute is poised to lead transformational change in AI accessibility, particularly for the deaf community. By addressing regulatory gaps, fostering corporate accountability, and promoting user-centered technology, the institute will ensure AI becomes a tool for inclusion rather than exclusion. The objectives provide a clear roadmap for achieving these goals by 2027, leveraging the unique expertise of its co-leaders and the broader stakeholder community.