Participatory AI

An approach to artificial intelligence development that actively involves the communities affected by AI systems in defining problems, setting priorities, designing solutions, collecting data, evaluating outcomes, and governing deployment. Participatory AI goes beyond consultation or user testing — it aims to redistribute decision-making power so that affected communities have genuine agency over the technologies that impact their lives. In accessibility contexts, participatory AI means involving disabled people not just as research subjects or testers, but as co-designers, co-researchers, and leaders throughout the AI development lifecycle. Challenges include addressing power imbalances between technical experts and community members, ensuring accessible participation methods, providing fair compensation, and sustaining engagement beyond initial research phases. The approach is rooted in disability rights principles of "nothing about us without us" and broader movements for AI fairness and accountability.