Beyond the Hype: How Accessibility and AI Stole the Show at TANK’s "ThinkTank"
We did something remarkable: we filled a cinema auditorium not for a blockbuster movie, but for a deep dive into the future of digital marketing. I was thrilled to join the team at Broadway Cinema for the inaugural ThinkTank event, hosted by the brilliant team at Tank.
The theme of the day was "How to Be Found in AI Search," a topic that is currently keeping senior marketers up at night. While much of the conversation around AI focuses on efficiency and speed, my mission for the day was to highlight a critical, often overlooked synergy: how accessibility and AI go hand in hand.
The Presentation: Accessibility as the Secret Weapon for AI Search
I had the opportunity to present to a room full of senior marketers on why accessibility is no longer just a "compliance checkbox" it is actually the foundation of successful AI optimisation.
As search engines evolve into AI-driven answer engines, they rely on structured, clear, and high-quality data to understand content. I broke down how the principles of Accessible Marketing, such as clear semantic structure, descriptive alt text, and logical content flow are the exact same signals that AI models use to index and prioritise information.
My core message was simple: If your content isn't accessible to a screen reader or a neurodivergent user, it likely won't be "accessible" to an AI crawler either. By designing for inclusion, you are inherently designing for the future of search.
A Meeting of Minds: The Expert Panel
Following my presentation, I joined an incredible lineup of industry experts on stage for a candid panel discussion. Chaired by the fantastic Martin Stone, the panel brought together a diverse range of perspectives on the AI revolution:
Charlie Clark
Edd Wilson
Martin Harris
Martyn Gettings
Quarina S.
Tania Gerard (Representing Tania Gerard Digital)
We tackled the tough questions, from the ethics of AI data scraping to the practicalities of maintaining a "human" brand voice in an automated world. The consensus? AI is a tool, but strategy and empathy remain the human's domain.
Why This Matters for Your Business
The "ThinkTank" event proved that the marketing community is hungry for practical, mission-led AI integration. At Tania Gerard Digital, we are leading the charge in ensuring that as businesses rush to adopt AI, they don't leave 20% of the population (the neurodivergent and disabled community) behind.
Inclusive AI isn't just about doing the right thing; it’s about reach, retention, and results.
"If your digital presence isn't accessible, you are effectively invisible to the AI-powered search engines of tomorrow."
Special Thanks
A huge thank you to the supporting team from Tank for organising such a seamless event, to our hosts at Broadway Cinema, and to every senior marketer who attended and asked such thought-provoking questions.