Inclusive AI

Inclusive AI is not a checkbox or a marketing badge. It is a commitment to designing products that work for the full spectrum of human diversity — not just the average or the most vocal users. The trap is thinking accessibility is enough. It is not. Inclusive AI means recognizing how your product might exclude users without you realizing it and actively designing to prevent that exclusion.

The stakes are high. AI systems trained on biased data or designed without diverse user needs in mind can reinforce inequality, alienate large user groups, and even cause harm. In India’s complex social and linguistic landscape, these risks multiply.

This lesson teaches you how to spot cognitive exclusion, understand inclusive design beyond accessibility, and adopt practical tools to build AI products that serve and respect everyone.

Cognitive exclusion is often invisible, but widespread

You may not realize it, but your product excludes users every day — users who have different abilities, languages, cultural backgrounds, or cognitive styles.

Consider these common moments:

• A delivery app assumes everyone can read and navigate complex menus quickly, excluding older users or those with cognitive disabilities.

• A chatbot that uses only English leaves out millions who speak Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, or other regional languages.

• A health app promotes diets without considering religious fasting or dietary restrictions common in Indian households.

• A voice assistant fails to understand code-switching between Hindi and English, frustrating users.

These exclusions are not accidents. They are design decisions made by people who did not fully consider the diversity of users.

Talvinder often asks: When was the last time you felt annoyed because a relative or colleague struggled with a technology you take for granted? That frustration is a sign of cognitive exclusion.

Inclusive design starts by recognizing who you are excluding and why.

Accessibility is not the same as inclusivity

Accessibility focuses on removing barriers for people with disabilities — screen readers for the visually impaired, captions for the hearing impaired, keyboard navigation for motor disabilities.

Inclusivity is broader. It includes accessibility but also addresses:

• Cognitive diversity: Different ways of processing information, memory, attention span.

• Cultural diversity: Language, norms, values, and customs.

• Socioeconomic diversity: Access to devices, internet connectivity, literacy levels.

• Situational diversity: Contexts where users have limited attention, noisy environments, or physical constraints.

For example, voice commands help someone driving a car (situational), but also assist older users who find touchscreens difficult (accessibility). Inclusive design solves for all these.

Inclusive AI means designing with diversity at every step

Inclusive AI is not just about adding features after the fact. It is a mindset embedded in your product development process.

Learn from diversity, then solve for one and extend to many

Start by gathering data and insights on diverse user needs. Use analytics, user interviews, and ethnographic research to understand:

• Dietary habits and health goals for food apps.

• Language preferences and literacy levels for content platforms.

• Cognitive load and navigation challenges for older users.

Next, design solutions that solve for specific personas with real constraints — not hypothetical averages.

Finally, extend those solutions to benefit many users. For example, a voice search feature designed for users with motor disabilities also helps busy users who want hands-free interaction.

Talvinder highlights the example of Zomato’s limited diet-specific filters like vegan or keto. Expanding these filters to cover a wider range of diets, including allergen-free and religious restrictions, makes the product truly inclusive.

Simplify interfaces and navigation

Complex interfaces exclude users who are not tech-savvy or have cognitive disabilities.

Simplify menus, reduce steps, use clear icons and labels. Consider multiple input modes — touch, voice, gestures.

Voice search and voice commands are powerful tools. In India, where literacy varies widely and many users are first-time internet users, voice interfaces can be game-changing.

Inclusive content and communication

Content that promotes binge eating or impulse shopping can harm users. Instead, design content strategies that encourage balanced behaviors and educate users about health and environment.

Use inclusive language that respects diverse cultures and avoids stereotypes.

Accessibility features are foundational

Text-to-speech, high contrast modes, screen reader compatibility — these features are baseline requirements.

Talvinder stresses that accessibility is an attribute within the broader methodology of inclusive design. You cannot be inclusive without being accessible, but being accessible alone is not enough.

Feedback and adaptation loops

Build mechanisms for users to provide feedback on inclusivity and accessibility issues.

Continuous improvement based on diverse user experiences is crucial.

For instance, if users with visual impairments report difficulty with a new AI feature, you must iterate quickly.

Inclusive AI in the Indian context

India’s diversity presents unique challenges and opportunities:

• Multilingual users require language localization and support for code-switching.

• Varied literacy and digital fluency levels demand multiple interaction modes.

• Cultural practices such as fasting, festivals, and family dynamics influence user behavior.

• Economic diversity affects device types and internet connectivity.

Talvinder often points out: You are not designing for a 25-year-old urban professional only. You are designing for a grandmother in Raipur, a street vendor in Chennai, a student in Pune.

Tools and frameworks to support inclusive AI design

Microsoft’s Inclusive Design toolkit is a valuable resource. It offers:

• Activity cards to provoke inclusive thinking in teams.

• Worksheets for cognitive inclusion.

• Recruiting guides to ensure diverse user representation in research.

• Case studies that bring cognitive inclusion to life.

Talvinder recommends these as “the Bible” for inclusive design practice.

Example: Designing for guidance and respecting focus

AI systems should guide users gently without overwhelming them.

Designing for guidance means anticipating where users need help and providing it without disrupting their flow.

Respecting focus means avoiding distractions in critical moments — for example, a voice assistant shouldn’t interrupt a user who is concentrating on driving.

Case studies and further reading

• Google’s Monk Skin Tone scale improves representation in search results.

• Ikea’s ThisAbles campaign designs furniture accessible to people with disabilities.

• Microsoft’s blog on increasing focus on inclusive technology.

• The book Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Pérez exposes data bias in product design.

Talvinder encourages PMs to deepen their understanding through these materials and to take implicit bias tests to uncover unconscious assumptions.

The PM’s role in building inclusive AI

Your actual job is to be the advocate for users who are often invisible in product discussions.

This means:

• Including diverse personas in user research.

• Questioning assumptions about “normal” users.

• Prioritizing features that improve access and usability for all.

• Collaborating closely with designers, engineers, and data scientists to identify bias and exclusion in AI models.

• Setting acceptance criteria that go beyond accuracy to include fairness, transparency, and user trust.

• Managing expectations with leadership about the trade-offs and investment required.

Test yourself: Inclusive AI design challenge

Where to go next

• If you want to build empathy-driven products: User Research Methods

• If you want to master ethical AI product management: Ethical PM

• If you want to improve accessibility in your products: Designing for Accessibility

• If you want to integrate AI responsibly: AI Product Strategy

• If you want to learn practical inclusive design tools: Inclusive Design Toolkit by Microsoft