From end users to principal communicators: ensuring deaf agency in technologies

The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in sign language translation is often framed as a breakthrough in accessibility. However, the top-down approach in AI-driven sign language technologies largely positions Deaf individuals as passive stakeholders rather than active decision-makers. This leads to the proliferation of projects such as signing gloves and avatars, often developed without meaningful Deaf involvement. While international regulatory frameworks, including the European AI Act 2024/1689 and the 2023 U.S. President’s Executive Order on AI, attempt to address AI ethics, they fail to consider the specific challenges of AI-driven sign language translation and its broader implications for Deaf empowerment. Furthermore, discussions around AI and Deaf communities remain narrowly focused on sign language translation, overlooking AI’s potential to support Deaf education, language acquisition, and broader accessibility. This presentation critiques these gaps, drawing on literature and qualitative data from social media discussions and questionnaires, and introduces a Deaf-led approach to AI governance. The #DeafSafeAI initiative, developed by the Coalition on Sign Language Equity in Technology (Co-SET), is presented as a framework for ensuring ethical AI development that centers Deaf perspectives, advocating for a shift from technological solutionism to true inclusivity.