Ongoing Disability Inclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI)
EDF recognises Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) potential to greatly improve the lives of persons with disabilities, but also its potential risks. These risks can be significant, and we need to ensure that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developed safely with accessibility and inclusion in mind. We would like to express our gratitude to the European Fund for Artificial Intelligence and Society, which is funding this project.
“Inclusive AI” is a five-year project (1 January 2023 – 31 December 2027) with the following aims:
- Advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities in relation to the development and use of AI technologies;
- Expanding the knowledge of the European disability rights movement.
The project is based on three pillars:
- Advocacy at the European level – We lobby EU policymakers on the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Regulation – the AI Act – and participate in developing harmonised standards.
- Capacity Building – Artificial Intelligence’s effect on the human rights of persons with disabilities will become an increasingly important topic to advocate for, especially when public authorities want to use it to make decisions about citizens. Therefore, we will also inform our member organisations on how AI impacts the rights of people with disabilities.
- Awareness-raising activities – to ensure that inventors, scientists, and policymakers have a deep understanding of the needs and challenges regarding disability-friendly AI.
In 2023, we held two online webinars, primarily for our members, to highlight how AI is impacting the lives of persons with disabilities. AI impacts several areas, including employment, education, banking, and social security. EDF will also participate in the activities of other organisations. We will regularly publish articles on AI and disability and report on the negotiations of the AI Act on our website.
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Learn about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on persons with disabilities, and stay updated on AI progress and EU policies: Subscribe to the EDF newsletter on AI and disability.
Latest news
2026
The AI Act in 2026: New Changes, New Risks, New Advocacy (November 2026)
Newsletter: AI Omnibus weakens protections for persons with disabilities (July 2026)
EDF Briefing on the AI Omnibus (June 2026)
6 ways the AI Omnibus weakens protections for persons with disabilities (June 2026)
Newsletter: Inclusive and rights-based AI, training and funding opportunities (June 2026)
What EDF achieved in Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy in 2025 (March 2026)
Newsletter: Disability rights in the age of AI: confidentiality, oversight and inclusion (March 2026)
Building Inclusive AI at FOSDEM: reflections from a conference in Brussels (February 2026)
Building fair AI in Europe: our participation to Estonia’s Code of Equality Conference (February 2026)
A call to EU legislators: protect rights and reject the call to delete transparency safeguard in AI Act (February 2026)
2025
Newsletter: Canada leads the way for accessible and equitable AI (December 2025)
Newsletter: Launch of EDF’s updated guide for a disability-inclusive Artificial Intelligence Act (October 2025)
Newsletter: AI, Rights, and Accessibility: What’s Changing in Europe and Beyond (October 2025)
A disability-inclusive Artificial Intelligence Act: updated guide to monitor implementation in your country (October 2025)
Newsletter: Changes in AI regulations in the EU and US: what impact on disability rights? (June 2025)
Infographic Explaining Artificial Intelligence (May 2025)
Newsletter: AI policy shifts: what’s at stake for disability rights? (March 2025)
Civil society Statement on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act guidelines (January 2025)
2024
European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee discusses Artificial Intelligence and disability Rights (December 2024)
Newsletter: A disability-inclusive AI Act, Fighting discriminatory algorithms and more (November 2024)
Newsletter: How the EU AI Act Affects Disability Rights: Upcoming Toolkit & Workshop (October 2024)
A disability-inclusive Artificial Intelligence Act: A guide to monitor implementation in your country (October 2024)
How to advocate for disability-inclusive AI (October 2024)
Video: Jamie and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on persons with disabilities (June 2024)
Newsletter: AI Act, inclusive employment, social security and private services (May 2024)
EU’s AI Act fails to set gold standard for human rights (April 2024)
Newsletter: AI Act, inclusive employment, social security and private services (March 2024)
AI Act agreement: partial win on accessibility (March 2024)
Bridging AI and Autistic Rights – Insights, Advocacy, and Next Step. A guest blog post by an EDF-member organisation (January 2024)
Access to services: The promises and pitfalls of AI for people with disabilities (January 2024)
2023
OECD report on Artificial Intelligence and Employment of People with Disabilities (December 2023)
Newsletter: AI, inclusive education and employment, social security and private services (October 2023)
Newsletter: Artificial Intelligence, disability, inclusion and AI Act (October 2023)
Artificial Intelligence, inclusive education and employment: opportunities and challenges (October 2023)
Training an Artificial Intelligence (October 2023)
What is the Artificial Intelligence Act? (October 2023)
Translating Life into Numbers: How AI learns about human needs (September 2023)
Understanding Artificial Intelligence – and how it affects the disability community (August 2023)
Funding Opportunity: EDF Artificial Intelligence Grants Programme (July 2023)
Resolution on the EU Artificial Intelligence Act for the inclusion of persons with disabilities (April 2023)
2022
European AI Fund enables us to work in Disability-inclusive Artificial Intelligence (November 2022)