Building Accessible Websites with AI Assistance
Over one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. Building accessible websites isn't just good ethics — it's good business. AI can help you get there faster.
What AI Gets Right
Modern AI website builders, including Genesis AI, generate markup that follows many accessibility best practices by default:
- Semantic HTML — Proper use of headings, nav, main, article, and section elements
- Heading hierarchy — Correct h1 → h2 → h3 structure for screen readers
- Colour contrast — AI models are trained to use colours with sufficient contrast ratios
- Responsive design — Content reflows properly at different zoom levels
- Button and link markup — Interactive elements use correct HTML elements
What You Should Verify
AI isn't perfect. Always check these accessibility aspects manually:
Image Alt Text
AI may generate placeholder alt text. Replace it with descriptive text that conveys the image's purpose. Decorative images should have empty alt attributes (alt="").
Keyboard Navigation
Tab through your entire page using only the keyboard. Every interactive element should be reachable and operable. Focus states should be visible.
Colour Contrast
While AI generally chooses accessible colours, verify critical text meets WCAG AA standards: 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text. Use a contrast checker tool.
Form Labels
Every form input needs an associated label. Verify that labels are properly connected to their inputs using the for/id relationship or wrapping.
ARIA Where Needed
For custom widgets or complex interactions, add ARIA attributes as needed. But remember: the first rule of ARIA is "don't use ARIA" if a native HTML element will do the job.
Testing Tools
Use automated testing tools like axe-core or Lighthouse to catch common issues, but remember that automated tools only catch about 30% of accessibility problems. Manual testing with a screen reader is still essential.
The Commitment
Accessibility is an ongoing process, not a checkbox. AI gives you a strong accessible foundation, but maintaining it requires attention and testing with each update.