Q&A for the Ask-the-Expert Session on 04/12/25: How Artificial Intelligence in PAC 2026 Simplifies Manual Accessibility Checking

Platform & Integration

Does PAC run completely offline?

Yes. PAC runs fully offline. No data is transmitted anywhere, and no internet connection is required for the accessibility check.

Will PAC be available on Mac?

Yes, a macOS version is already in development. A first prototype will be presented at the axes4 Day in March 2026, one of the key industry events for document accessibility

You mentioned WebView2 as a prerequisite for PAC 2026. Is there a link on your website that lists all the prerequisites for PAC 2026?

The system requirements are listed on the PAC download page (Windows 10 or 11, .NET Framework 4.8). 
WebView2 is already available on all Windows systems. In the unlikely event that it is missing on an older Windows 10 system, WebView2 can be downloaded from the Microsoft website. 

Do you offer training on how to use axesPDF?

We currently only offer online seminars for axesPDF in German. However, we offer detailed manuals for axesPDF.

Do you have a program to check directly inside Adobe InDesign?

No. There is no axes4 product that checks accessibility inside InDesign.
The workflow remains: create correct structure in InDesign → export to PDF → check and fix using PAC.

For many teams, it can be more efficient to create accessible PDFs directly with our tools (e.g., axesWord, axesSlide or axesFlip), as these solutions automate large parts of the accessibility process and reduce manual effort compared to InDesign.

Do we need to correct all the mistakes or missing parts in Word or InDesign?

PAC only checks accessibility, it does not correct issues. For correction after export, axesPDF can both check and manually fix accessibility issues in the PDF.
Alternatively, many documents can be exported as fully accessible PDFs right away using axesWord, axesSlide or axesFlip, which automate large parts of the process and minimize the need for manual remediation.

AI Detection & Capabilities

Can the AI tool also check for unwanted language changes or missing language changes?

No. To do this, PAC would need to have built-in AI language analysis capabilities. For various reasons, this is not currently the case.  

Is it necessary to add alt-text to links? Why does PAC flag missing alt-text, even though screen readers read link text instead?

You do not add “alt-text” to links, but every link must have accessible, meaningful link text (Matterhorn Checkpoint 09). PAC flags missing/empty link text because without it the link is not perceivable for assistive technologies. 
PDF/UA-2 requires that each link annotation has a correct structure element (usually <Link>) and an ActualText or text content that conveys its purpose. 

As AI-enabled screen readers get better, is full PDF compliance still essential?

Yes, full PDF accessibility compliance remains essential, because organizations must meet legal requirements, ensure consistent and predictable access for all assistive technologies, and provide a reliable document structure that AI-enabled screen readers alone cannot guarantee.

Performance, Scaling & Automation

How significantly does performance decrease during AI checking, especially with large documents?

No. The AI check runs in parallel to the existing checks and only slows them down minimally. You can already review the PDF/UA and other results while the AI analysis is still running.

Will there be problems due to insufficient RAM from AI operation?

We have not observed any such cases to date, nor have we received any reports from our large community. 

Can you elaborate on your API service? Does it also use AI to produce an accessibility report in JSON format? Is it better than Adobe’s, for example with tables? And how does pricing work? Per page? Token-based?

We are working on integrating PAC's AI into axesSense as well. However, a release date has not yet been set. Since it uses the same logic, you can use PAC to test how well the results compare to competitors. 

The pricing works in such a way that you purchase a license that allows you to test a desired number of pages per year. For further information, please contact sales@axes4.