AI is an Assistive Tool
October brings two observances that belong in the same conversation: National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Cybersecurity Awareness Month. One celebrates inclusion. The other protects it. Artificial intelligence links the two.
For HR and IT, AI is more than a productivity play. Used well, it becomes a workplace accommodation that expands access, preserves security, and bakes equity into everyday workflows. The path forward is practical and human-centered.
1. Start with People, Not Tools
Begin by understanding barriers employees face in real tasks. Match needs to capabilities rather than buying features you won’t use.
- Listen first. Run short accessibility audits and listening sessions to surface friction in communication, navigation, and documentation.
- Map needs to capabilities. Examples include speech recognition for meetings, document summarization for complex content, and computer-vision tools that describe on-screen elements.
- Co-own the plan. HR brings context about roles and accommodations; IT evaluates integration, security, and support.
2. Build Accessibility and Security Together
Assistive AI often touches sensitive data. Treat inclusion and protection as one design problem.
- Shift left. Put accessibility checks beside security reviews during procurement, configuration, and testing.
- Use credible guardrails. Align with WCAG 2.2, ensure policy coverage under Section 508, and manage model and system risk with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
- Reduce exceptions. Secure, accessible flows lower the need for workarounds, shared accounts, or risky shortcuts.
3. Treat AI as an Evolving Accommodation
AI changes quickly, and so do jobs. Keep the loop tight between users, policy, and technology.
- Measure and learn. Track adoption, task completion, and user feedback—especially from employees using AI as an accommodation.
- Update policies and training. Refresh guidance as models, features, and regulations evolve. Build AI literacy for managers and teams.
- Govern with transparency. Document data handling, model updates, and decommissioning plans so changes never catch employees by surprise.
Next Steps
AI as an accommodation is already reshaping work. When HR and IT design for access and security at the same time, they retain talent, reduce risk, and build a culture where everyone can contribute fully and safely.
Start the conversation this month. Select one team, one workflow, and one measurable barrier. Pilot a fit-for-purpose AI tool, evaluate with the people who use it, and iterate with security and accessibility in the same room.
Standards to anchor your roadmap:
