It's Complicated: On the Design and Evaluation of AI-Powered AAC Interfaces
2026-06-23 • Human-Computer Interaction
Human-Computer InteractionArtificial Intelligence
AI summaryⓘ
The authors look at how artificial intelligence (AI) can help people who use special communication tools called AAC. They explain that it's hard to judge how well AI improves these tools because people have many different needs. The authors study six different kinds of problems with AAC and suggest better ways to test AI that consider these varied needs. They also talk about bigger challenges and how their new testing ideas might help solve them.
Artificial IntelligenceAugmentative and Alternative CommunicationHuman-Computer InteractionEvaluation MetricsIntersectionalityUser NeedsAccessibilityAI EvaluationCommunication AidsMultifaceted Problems
Authors
Blade Frisch, Will Wade, Dylan Gaines, Michelle Kinsella, Betts Peters, Tamara Broderick, Keith Vertanen
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance what people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are able to do with their systems. However, evaluating AI-powered AAC interfaces can be difficult. People are intersectional beings and current evaluation metrics can struggle to capture the multifaceted and nuanced desires people may have for their AAC. We explore the complicated nature of six AAC problem spaces, explore how AI might be used in these spaces, and suggest more robust methods of evaluation that take the intersectional nuances of people into account. We also discuss broader issues that arise across these problem spaces and how they could be addressed using our proposed evaluation methods.