AI-driven sign language interpreting avatars: navigating challenges to address communication gaps

Abstract Media accessibility facilitates human interaction with digital products and services. Media accessibility is one of the many solutions to secure all humans can access information today. The Information Society offers many opportunities in all sectors of society, but also presents many challenges, and digital inclusion is perhaps the most persistent. The European Union has addressed this challenge by passing the European Accessibility Act (2019), which echoes the United Nations’ request in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006). The European Union has also put in place the first worldwide Artificial Intelligence Act (2024), which coexists with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (2016). While most media accessibility services are labelled as “low-risk” according to the Artificial Intelligence Act, there is a caveat: Sign Language Interpreting. This paper looks at the artificial intelligence risks involved in the design and development of Sign Language Interpreting technologies. It concludes that AI-driven avatar Sign Language Interpretation could be the solution that fulfils all three EU laws.