Does artificial intelligence make work more accessible and inclusive? At Pega, we set out to answer this question with a new usability study focusing on Voice AI in the workplace. The results are inspiring: Integrating accessible AI such as Voice AI into everyday workflows not only boosts productivity – it levels the playing field between new and experienced employees, and empowers people with disabilities to excel. In short, AI can be a great equalizer in the modern workplace, and Pega is committed to leading the charge in making that a reality.
In this post, we’ll share why Pega conducted this research, what we discovered at a high-level, and what it means for business leaders focused on accessibility and inclusion. (Spoiler: Accessible Voice AI tools can help every employee perform at their best – and that means a broader, more capable workforce for your organization.)
Why Pega invested in this research
In many companies, there’s a wide gap between seasoned employees and newcomers. Training new staff (especially in complex roles like customer service) takes time, and less-experienced employees often struggle to match the efficiency of veterans. Pega has found, and external research supports, that generative AI assistance could close this gap – accelerating onboarding and improving productivity of new hires by providing real-time guidance and automation in their workflow. If AI can help a new customer service agent navigate like a 10-year veteran, that’s a game changer for productivity and training costs.
Fostering inclusion & accessibility: Pega also recognized an equally important gap – the one faced by individuals with disabilities. Traditional enterprise software can inadvertently create barriers for people with visual, cognitive, or learning impairments. We believe AI-powered features such as Voice AI might help remove some of these longstanding barriers, enabling employees with disabilities (for example, those who are neurodivergent or have low vision) to work as efficiently as their colleagues. In essence, integrating Voice AI into our products should “level the playing field” for all employees, regardless of ability or assistive technology needed by a user.
How the study was conducted
To explore AI’s impact on different users, Pega’s UX team ran a series of in-depth usability sessions using a customer service workflow prototype. We deliberately recruited a diverse set of participants, including four individuals with neurodivergent conditions (such as ADHD, autism/Asperger’s, or dyslexia) and two individuals with low vision who rely on assistive technologies. These participants represented the very employees who often benefit most from accessible tools – and whose feedback is crucial in designing better systems.
Each participant was asked to perform typical customer service tasks (like updating a customer’s address or filing a support case) in two scenarios: first using a standard interface (no AI assistance) and then using a Voice AI–augmented interface. The Voice AI–enhanced version included features like:
- Suggested next actions: One-click prompts that recommend the next step in a process (based on call context).
- Voice-driven autofill: Automatic transcription of customer input (speech-to-text) to fill form fields.
- AI-generated summaries: An automatic draft of call notes or case wrap-up text.
Participants completed each workflow with and without these Voice AI features and shared their feedback in interviews. We measured things like task completion ease, accuracy, and user satisfaction in each condition. The goal was to identify preferences, perceived value, and any challenges tied to the AI features.
Crucially, we didn’t just observe productivity; we listened to how people felt. Do they trust the AI? Does it reduce cognitive load? Are there any accessibility improvements or issues? This rich mix of quantitative and qualitative data gave us a high-level view of AI’s impact on both efficiency and user experience.
Key findings: Voice AI–augmented workflows benefit everyone
The results were strikingly clear. Across the board, users preferred the Voice AI–assisted workflow to the traditional one. Even in this small study:
- 5 out of 6 participants strongly favored the Voice AI–enhanced experience over the non-AI baseline. They completed tasks faster and with less effort when AI was available. On a usability scale where 1 = “very easy” and 5 = “very difficult,” tasks done with AI were consistently rated 1 (“very easy”), whereas without AI they were typically rated 2 (“easy”). That difference, though seemingly small in numeric terms, translates into big real-world impacts – think of shaving minutes off call handling times, or reducing errors in data entry.
- Users reported saving time and effort thanks to Voice AI. They described the AI-assisted process as smoother and more streamlined because the system handled routine steps for them. One experienced participant noted that “the AI made it more fluid… it bypassed steps I would otherwise have had to do manually”. In other words, AI took on the busywork, so the human could focus on more important aspects of the task (like engaging with the customer’s actual issue).
- Less experience required. With AI guidance, even participants who were unfamiliar with the software could complete complex tasks without hesitation. The Suggested Actions feature was especially helpful here. It proactively presented the correct next step – for example, automatically showing an “Address Change” form when a customer mentioned moving. This removed the need for agents to recall or find that option themselves. As one person put it, “Suggested actions… saved me from hunting through menus,” letting them resolve issues almost as if they’d been doing it for years. This confirms that AI can serve as a “virtual mentor” for less-experienced staff, closing knowledge gaps on the fly.
- Participants experienced high trust due to AI familiarity. We anticipated some skepticism about AI but found that most participants were already comfortable using AI tools in daily life (half mentioned they use products like ChatGPT regularly). This existing familiarity helped drive enthusiasm for Pega’s AI features. People saw the AI as a helpful assistant rather than a threat – a trend we believe will only grow as more workers get used to tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot and generative AI assistants.
- The importance of control: One theme we heard in feedback was that transparency and user control are essential for trust. Participants loved the AI assistance when they felt they remained the ultimate decision-makers. They wanted the ability to review and edit AI outputs – for instance, to tweak the wording of an auto-generated summary – and to turn features on or off easily. Our takeaway for business leaders is that introducing AI into workflows must go hand-in-hand with clear controls, user education, and override options. With those in place, employees feel confident letting AI assist them.
How AI helps neurodivergent and low vision employees
Most exciting was the evidence that the Voice AI–assisted workflows particularly benefited our neurodivergent and low-vision participants – validating Pega’s belief that AI can drive inclusion. Participants with conditions like ADHD or dyslexia, as well as those with vision impairments, reported that the Voice AI features directly mitigated some of the challenges they typically face:
- Reduced cognitive load: Many neurodivergent individuals (e.g. those with ADHD) struggle with sustaining attention, memory, or organizing complex tasks. Our study indicated that AI can serve as a cognitive aid in these areas. For example, the auto-generated Interaction Summary meant participants didn’t have to mentally organize and write notes from scratch – the AI provided a starting point that they could quickly edit.
- Better focus on communication, less worry about details: For employees with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, writing emails or remembering details can be a source of anxiety. AI assistance showed promise here as well. In the study, the voice-driven autofill feature converted customer speech into text, helping those who find typing or spelling challenging. “I didn’t have to type the whole address – it was a major time-saver,” noted one participant.
- Easing visual and motor strain: For staff with low vision or other visual impairments, the AI features reduced the need for tedious on-screen navigation. Instead of searching through multiple menus or reading fine print, users could rely on voice inputs and smart suggestions.
From research to action: Building a more inclusive workforce with AI
Pega’s research reinforces a clear business case for accessible AI: It can boost productivity and employee satisfaction simultaneously. New hires get up to speed faster, experienced employees save time, and people with disabilities face fewer daily hurdles. For organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion, these findings offer a strategic path forward. By embracing AI tools designed with accessibility in mind, companies can achieve both performance gains and workforce empowerment.
Consider the possibilities: A customer service center where a visually impaired agent handles inquiries as efficiently as any sighted colleague because the AI reads and logs information for them. A team where junior employees ramp up in weeks instead of months, guided by AI through complex processes. A neurodivergent employee who once felt exhausted by multitasking now excels with AI managing the “busywork” in the background. This isn’t a distant vision – it’s emerging reality, and businesses that get on board sooner will have an edge.
Pega is deeply committed to this inclusive, AI-augmented future of work. We aren’t just publishing a whitepaper and moving on; these insights are actively shaping our product design and strategy. Our teams are enhancing AI features like the ones in the study – ensuring they are configurable, transparent, and useful for users of all abilities. And we continue to solicit feedback from diverse user groups, because co-creating with the disability community leads to better solutions for everyone.
To dive deeper into Pega’s study methodology, detailed findings, and design recommendations, check out our full whitepaper on this research (which includes additional participant stories and data). And if you’re eager to make your own workplace more accessible, let’s continue the conversation. Together, we can harness AI to create a more inclusive and effective workforce for our customers, our colleagues, and our communities.