Generative AI tools, particularly those utilizing large language models (LLMs), have become increasingly prevalent in both professional and personal contexts, offering powerful capabilities for text generation and communication support. While these tools are widely used to enhance productivity and accessibility, there has been limited exploration of how Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals engage with text-based generative AI tools, as well as the challenges they may encounter. This paper presents a mixed-method survey study investigating how the DHH community uses Text AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to reduce communication barriers, bridge Deaf and hearing cultures, and improve access to information. Through a survey of 80 DHH participants and separate interviews with 11 other participants, we found that while these tools provide significant benefits, including enhanced communication and mental health support, they also introduce barriers, such as a lack of American Sign Language (ASL) support and understanding of Deaf cultural nuances. Our findings highlight unique usage patterns within the DHH community and underscore the need for inclusive design improvements. We conclude by offering practical recommendations to enhance the accessibility of Text AI for the DHH community and suggest directions for future research in AI and accessibility.

翻译：生成式人工智能工具，特别是基于大语言模型（LLMs）的工具，已在职业和个人场景中日益普及，为文本生成和沟通支持提供了强大能力。尽管这些工具被广泛用于提升生产力和可访问性，但关于聋人及重听（DHH）群体如何与基于文本的生成式AI工具互动，以及他们可能遇到的挑战，目前仍缺乏深入探讨。本文通过一项混合方法的调查研究，探讨了DHH群体如何运用ChatGPT等文本AI工具来减少沟通障碍、弥合聋人与健听文化之间的鸿沟，并改善信息获取途径。通过对80名DHH参与者的问卷调查以及对另外11名参与者的独立访谈，我们发现：虽然这些工具带来了显著益处（包括提升沟通效率和心理健康支持），但也引入了诸如缺乏美国手语（ASL）支持以及对聋人文化细微差异的理解不足等障碍。我们的研究结果揭示了DHH群体内部独特的使用模式，并强调了进行包容性设计改进的必要性。最后，我们提出增强文本AI对DHH群体可访问性的实用建议，并为人工智能与可访问性领域的未来研究方向提供参考。