AI & Accessibility - How can the use of AI in Digital Collaboration Empower People with Disabilities

People with Disabilities (PwD) often encountered unique challenges in the workplace that could impede their daily efficiency and productivity. In our fast-evolving digital world, prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity for individuals with disabilities was paramount. With advancements in Artificial Intelligence, we had powerful tools available to us that could help achieve this goal.

As a UX Researcher at Cisco Webex, one of the key initiatives I worked on was Accessibility Research. I conducted 1:1 user interviews with PwD, referred to as “Fast Feedback Sessions,” to understand their interactions with various collaboration tools, including Webex products, their perception on AI, and their feedback on the accessibility tools and accommodations they required for a seamless experience. I had the privilege of engaging with users of diverse accessibility profiles, including individuals who were blind, neurodivergent, had low vision, or faced upper-body mobility challenges, among others.

During my presentation, I drew from my experience working on ongoing AI-Accessibility research projects at Webex and from the 1:1 interviews I’d conducted with PwD to share their needs, expectations, and perspectives regarding AI in digital collaboration, coupled with practical use cases and examples from my work. I addressed the challenges that People with Disabilities encountered when interacting with technology to foster empathy, raise awareness, and advocate for the importance of designing for accessibility, as well as a few thoughts on how we empowered said users. Through my learnings, I hoped to inspire fellow UX Researchers to help future-proof technologies and drive product teams to design AI systems that were inclusive and provided equal access to all users, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Furthermore, I shared my experiences in conducting accessibility research, highlighted the lessons learned, and discussed the challenges I’d faced on this journey. I offered valuable tips for researchers aspiring to undertake similar projects and, ultimately, encouraged individuals to become advocates for accessibility.

Voice in the Noise: Influencing AI Product Teams with Empathy, Insight, and Strategic Research”

In today’s fast-paced, AI-driven tech world, product teams often chased quick wins - leaving little to no time for a deep, shared understanding of the user. This talk was for researchers, designers, engineers, PMs, and cross-functional partners who wanted to lead with clarity and impact - regardless of role or title.

I reflected on my journey from being the quietest person in the room to confidently influencing roadmaps, advocating for inclusion, and collaborating across disciplines.

GHC Chicago Speaker 2025

Breaking into UX Research in the Age of AI

As AI reshapes how products are built, shipped, and scaled, the role of UX Research has never been more critical. Speed is higher, ambiguity is higher, and the cost of getting decisions wrong is higher than ever. In this session, Priyanka demystifies what UX Research really looks like today - and what it takes to break into the field with confidence in an AI-driven product landscape.

Drawing on her experience leading mixed-methods research at Microsoft and working closely with product, design, engineering, and data science teams, Priyanka will share how UXR functions as a strategic discipline - one that de-risks product decisions, grounds teams in real user needs, and directly shapes product strategy, roadmaps, and execution. She’ll also unpack how research fits into real-world product-making, especially in fast-moving AI environments where something can “work” technically but still fail users.

You’ll learn how to:

Understand UX Research as a strategic function that helps teams prioritize the right problems, define success, and make confident product bets.
See what day-to-day UXR collaboration really looks like, and how researchers partner with PMs, designers, and engineers to turn insights into shipped outcomes.
Learn how UX Research plugs into the AI build loop end-to-end - from what to build, to how to build it, to how to evaluate quality, trust, safety, and AI performance.
Upskill for AI as a UX Researcher, including what you need to understand about AI and how to use AI in your research workflow without losing rigor.
Walk away with a clear, beginner-friendly path to breaking into UXR today - what to learn, what to practice, and how to package your work to pursue roles with confidence.
Expect a practical, grounded session filled with real-world examples, clear frameworks, and actionable guidance - especially valuable for aspiring UX Researchers, career switchers, and early-career professionals navigating AI-powered product teams.

A Shared Commitment to Inclusive Design

Cisco’s product design and engineering teams approached Applause to create and execute a digital accessibility strategy that would ensure the inclusivity of its Webex virtual collaboration tools. They not only needed to conform to global accessibility standards like CVAA, WCAG and EAA, but also wanted to create intuitive, compelling digital experiences for all users, including PWD, to support an ongoing commitment to inclusion. A digital quality leader, Applause was able to provide the accessibility and UX expertise and strategy Cisco needed to achieve its goals, and manage execution with access to the world’s largest independent testing community, including people with disabilities.

Since 2022, Cisco has leveraged our accessibility testing solution, including expert-led conformance assessments, in-sprint testing, consulting with PWD and inclusive design training. By integrating accessibility earlier in the development cycle, and introducing insights from users with disabilities, Applause has helped the Webex team achieve consistent conformance for eight Webex product suites (85%+) and created dozens of “Accessibility Champions” while maximizing internal resources. With successful, sustainable results, Cisco aims to expand the program and continue to drive empathy-led innovation throughout the organization, and beyond.

Find out how accessibility testing with Applause helps Cisco’s Webex teams go beyond compliance to deliver truly exceptional user experiences to all users, including people with disabilities (PWD).

Was featured in the video as the Cisco Webex UX Accessibility Champion