Applause recently released findings from its sixth annual State of Digital Quality in Accessibility report for 2026. One of the trends identified was that 78% of organisations are using artificial intelligence (AI) to support improvements in digital accessibility. At the same time, 56% of assistive technology (AT) users reported encountering inaccessible applications consistently since the beginning of the year.
The report is based on a survey of more than 500 development and QA professionals and over 1,000 AT users, including individuals who use screen readers, captioning tools, font magnification, and other assistive technologies. In the context of ongoing digital transformation, 66% of AT users reported experiencing interaction barriers without the use of such technologies. Additionally, 92% indicated that they abandon digital platforms when accessibility issues are present.
Accessibility challenges remain frequent for some users: 28% of AT users reported encountering them monthly, and 17% weekly. In relation to platform use, 44% of these users indicated they are inclined to stop using apps that do not meet accessibility expectations. At the same time, 97% reported loyalty toward brands that provide accessible and smooth user experiences, with 62% reporting very high levels of loyalty.
Organisations are increasingly incorporating AI-based tools into development processes to address accessibility. According to the report, 60% use AI tools to identify and resolve accessibility issues, 58% use coding agents to generate accessible code, and 56% implement AI-powered accessibility features. In addition, 47% use AI to scan for accessibility issues, and 45% use it to generate captions for audiovisual content.
Regarding perceptions of AI effectiveness, 22% of respondents believe their AI tools can accurately detect more than three-quarters of accessibility issues. However, 53% of users expressed concerns about tool accuracy, including the possibility of false positives and missed issues. Only 10% of organisations rely exclusively on AI for accessibility testing, while 90% combine AI with manual testing approaches.
AI-based accessibility testing is increasingly integrated into development workflows, including early-stage coding. However, the report notes that such tools may not detect a significant portion of accessibility issues that require human evaluation. As a result, many organisations supplement automated testing with human review, including input from users with disabilities and specialists in accessibility and inclusive design.
