In a significant move to address new federal mandates, AI-Media, a global leader in AI-driven captioning and audio description, has announced a comprehensive initiative designed to assist American public entities. The program aims to help state and local governments comply with recently finalized digital accessibility rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
New Federal Rules Set Clear Deadlines
The urgency stems from a rule finalized by the U.S. Department of Justice in April 2024. This regulation, known as the ADA Title II Web and Mobile Accessibility Rule, mandates that all digital services provided by public entities must conform to the WCAG 2.1 Level AA standard.
The compliance timeline is now set. Public entities serving populations over 50,000 must meet the requirements by April 24, 2026. Smaller jurisdictions and special districts have a later deadline of April 26, 2027. The rules encompass websites, mobile applications, and multimedia content, requiring features like accurate captions, transcripts, and audio description.
AI-Media's Multi-Pronged Support Initiative
To help governments navigate this complex transition, AI-Media is launching a multi-month educational campaign. The initiative will provide practical tools and raise awareness of the company's scalable solutions. Tony Abrahams, Co-founder and CEO of AI-Media, emphasized the scale of the challenge, calling it "one of the most significant accessibility transitions in decades."
"The new ADA Title II rule sets clear expectations for digital accessibility," said Abrahams. "Our mission is to equip governments with AI-powered tools that deliver compliance simply, affordably, and at scale."
As a foundational resource, the company is releasing a 10-Point ADA Title II Compliance Checklist. The initiative also highlights two flagship technologies critical for meeting the new standards:
- LEXI Text: An AI-powered solution for live and pre-recorded captioning and transcription, designed to meet WCAG requirements with high accuracy and low latency.
- LEXI AD: An AI-powered audio description tool featuring advanced customization. It generates natural-sounding narration, enabling agencies to provide audio description at scale for pre-recorded video content.
Webinar and Expanded Government Solutions
This campaign is part of AI-Media's expanded Government Solutions program, which focuses on scalable technology and predictable pricing models for public sector clients.
To further demystify the requirements, AI-Media will host a national educational webinar titled "ADA Title II: Compliance Made Simple with AI" on January 20, 2026. The session will review the WCAG 2.1 AA requirements and demonstrate how AI-driven captioning and audio description can streamline the path to compliance for government agencies. Registration details are available through the company.
For public entities across the United States, the clock is now ticking toward the 2026 deadline. Initiatives like this from technology providers are becoming essential resources to ensure digital services are accessible to all citizens, avoiding potential legal risks and fulfilling civic obligations.
