Why accessibility might be AI’s biggest breakthrough

While tech companies market AI as a productivity tool for everyone, a UK government study reveals an unexpected result: Neurodiverse employees may be benefiting far more from chatbots than their neurotypical colleagues.

The UK's Department for Business and Trade recently released evaluation results from its Microsoft 365 Copilot trial showing that while overall satisfaction was 72 percent, neurodiverse employees reported statistically higher satisfaction (at a 90 percent confidence level) and were more likely to recommend the tool (at a 95 percent confidence level) than other respondents.

"It's leveled the playing field," one participant with ADHD told researchers during follow-up interviews. One user with dyslexia said that the tool "empowered" them to perform tasks with confidence they previously lacked, particularly in report writing. Another dyslexic participant drew direct comparisons to existing accessibility software, noting that Copilot "does a hell of a lot more" than traditional assistive technology while being "embedded in your applications" rather than requiring separate programs.

The reported benefits extended beyond neurodiversity. Users with hearing disabilities reported that AI-powered meeting transcription allowed them to participate more fully in discussions. "I can very quickly recall and be able to share my inputs rather than sit quietly thinking I missed the point," one participant explained, describing how constant focus requirements in meetings left them exhausted.

The study, titled "The Evaluation of the M365 Copilot Pilot in the Department for Business and Trade," suggests that AI tools might be addressing workplace accessibility gaps that traditional accommodations have missed. The department conducted the study between October 2024 and March 2025 using diary studies, interviews, and observed tasks to measure how the AI assistant affected different user groups.

The finding emerges from 300 participants who consented to analysis out of 1,000 licenses distributed, though the study doesn't specify how many identified as neurodiverse. While the 90 percent confidence for satisfaction falls below typical academic standards, the stronger finding for likelihood to recommend suggests a meaningful difference.