Intelligent agent

An autonomous computer program or algorithm that acts on behalf of another entity, typically a user. Intelligent agents work to a set of rules that may evolve over time based on experience. In accessibility, intelligent agents can observe user behaviour and adapt interfaces accordingly — for example, detecting that a user consistently zooms text and automatically offering a larger font, or noticing navigation patterns that suggest difficulty and simplifying the interface. Agents can also mediate between users and inaccessible content, performing tasks like automatic image description, content summarisation for cognitive accessibility, or real-time captioning. The distinction between an adaptable system (user configures settings) and an adaptive system driven by intelligent agents (system detects and responds to needs) is a key frontier in accessibility research.