“I did not know people talk without thinking about it”: How the lived experiences of adults who use AAC can inform the design of mimetic, agentic AI

With the rapid adoption of generative AI in meetings, we anticipate a near-future where people prepare and deploy personalized AI-powered mimetic agents, or digital twins, to speak on their behalf. However, most people have limited experience in preparing for and reviewing conversations made by these agents, and it remains unclear how to design next-generation conversational AI technologies that can support people as they use them in their daily lives.  Adults who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) have unique expertise in using computing technologies for their daily communication and can provide valuable perspectives on designing AI-mediated conversations. We interviewed nine adults who use AAC to understand their practices and strategies before, during, and after meetings. Our analysis revealed nine communication strategies across these meeting phases that can help inform AI design. We also demonstrate how the expertise of AAC users can inform responsible AI concepts, including transparency, watermarking, and personhood.