If AI interpreting and avatar tools end up costing more than human interpreters, who can actually afford them — and what happened to the promise of better access?

The original pitch for AI in the Deaf space was clear: better access, lower cost, real scalability. But early pricing signals across several vendors suggest AI-powered interpreting may land significantly above human interpreter rates — putting it out of reach for small Deaf-owned businesses, nonprofits, schools, and community orgs. Pricing also tends to be absent from demos and marketing, which makes it hard for the community to plan, compare, or push back. What does accessible pricing actually look like — and how do we hold the whole space accountable to it?