Audio Description ROI: How to Build the Business Case for Automated Accessibility

For many media executives, audio description lives in the “compliance cost” column — an expense necessary to avoid regulatory penalties. But this framing misses the full picture. AD delivers measurable business value across audience growth, content differentiation, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency.

Here is how to build a business case that speaks the language of the C-suite.

The Revenue Opportunity

Audience Expansion

• 2.2 billion people globally have some form of vision impairment (WHO, 2023)
• 338 million people have moderate to severe distance vision impairment
• 43 million people are blind
• In the US alone, 12 million people aged 40+ have vision impairment

These are not hypothetical users. Research shows that visually impaired consumers actively seek out platforms that offer audio description, and they are loyal to platforms that invest in accessibility.

Subscriber Retention

For streaming platforms, every retained subscriber is worth $100–200+ per year. Visually impaired subscribers who cannot find accessible content will churn to competitors that offer it. If comprehensive AD retains even 1,000 additional subscribers per year, the revenue impact exceeds the cost of AI-powered AD for an entire content library.

Content Licensing Value

Content with AD is more licensable because:

• It meets the accessibility requirements of more distribution partners
• It can be distributed in markets with strict accessibility regulations
• Distributors increasingly require AD as part of delivery specifications

Cost Avoidance

Regulatory Penalties

• ADA Title II: Up to $75,000 first violation, $150,000 subsequent
• European Accessibility Act: Up to EUR 1,000,000 per violation (varies by member state)
• Lawsuits: Web accessibility lawsuits exceeded 5,100 in 2025, with average settlement costs of $10,000–100,000+

Reactive vs. Proactive

Organizations that implement AD proactively spend less than those that respond to complaints and lawsuits:

• Proactive: Systematic implementation at scale with AI = lower per-unit cost, planned timeline
• Reactive: Rushed manual AD for complained-about content = premium pricing, legal costs, reputational damage

Competitive Differentiation

In a crowded streaming market, accessibility is becoming a differentiator:

• Viewers who need accessibility features research which platforms offer them
• Advocacy organizations publish rankings of platform accessibility
• Industry awards increasingly recognize accessibility efforts
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting includes accessibility metrics

The ROI Calculation

Example: Mid-Size Streaming Platform

• Content library: 5,000 hours
• Current AD coverage: 10% (500 hours)
• Target: 100% AD coverage

Option A: Manual AD

• Cost: 4,500 hours × $25/minute × 60 minutes = $6,750,000
• Timeline: 2–3 years
• Annual ongoing (new content): $500,000+

Option B: AI-Powered AD

• Cost: 4,500 hours × $5/minute × 60 minutes = $1,350,000
• Timeline: 3–6 months
• Annual ongoing (new content): $100,000+

Savings with AI: $5,400,000 on back-catalog alone

Value Generated

• Regulatory compliance: Avoid potential penalties of $75,000–1,000,000+
• Subscriber retention: Even 500 retained subscribers = $50,000–100,000/year
• Content licensing: AD-equipped content serves 30%+ more distribution channels
• Brand value: Measurable improvement in accessibility perception

Presenting to the C-Suite

For the CFO

“AI-powered audio description costs 80% less than manual methods and can be deployed across our entire library in months. The alternative is escalating compliance risk — ADA penalties start at $75,000 per violation, and accessibility lawsuits are up 20% year over year.”

For the CMO

“2.2 billion people worldwide have vision impairment. Comprehensive audio description opens our content to an underserved audience, differentiates us from competitors, and strengthens our brand’s commitment to inclusion.”

For the CTO

“AI-powered AD integrates into our existing content pipeline via API. No new infrastructure is required. Processing runs alongside our existing localization workflows.”

For the CEO

“Audio description is where accessibility regulations, audience expectations, and AI technology converge. We can lead the industry in accessible content at a fraction of what it would have cost even two years ago. The question is not whether to invest — it is whether we can afford to wait.”

The Decision Framework

The business case for audio description has never been stronger. AI makes the investment practical. Regulation makes it necessary. And the audience makes it worthwhile.