Last week Adobe released a new cloud-based "Auto-Tag" API (Application Programming Interface) for developers. Somewhat buried in the limited media coverage of the API are two interesting items:
1. Adobe plans to include this cloud-based Auto-Tag in their free Acrobat Reader this fall.
2. There's a free demo (requires Adobe account registration):
https://acrobatservices.adobe.com/dc-accessibility-playground/main.html
Some notes and thoughts follow.
1/7
If you don't have Acrobat Pro, then the free Auto-Tag demo may be useful to you right now.
Whether you create PDFs that you know are inaccessible, or you are an assistive technology user who comes upon an untagged PDF, you can try the demo now.
You have to create a (free) Adobe account if you don't already have one. Then you just upload a PDF and you get a tagged file back. It won't be perfect, but it is better than being untagged.
2/7
Acrobat Pro has included an "Autotag document" feature for years. I consider it to be mediocre - it doesn't generate a fully accessible PDF - but it has been getting better. And I continue to use it as a first, time-saving step when remediating some PDFs.
The new cloud-based Auto-Tag uses different code and produces a different result.
I did a quick test comparing the two methods last week and found that the cloud-based API seemed to generate a significantly better file.
3/7
If you already pay for Acrobat Pro, then you can now choose to continue to use the classic built-in "local" Autotag feature, or switch to using the new cloud-based Auto-Tag.
I was asked by a prompt last week whether I wanted to try the cloud-based Auto-Tag.
You can manually control the your setting choice in Preferences -> Accessibility -> Other Accessibility Options -> checkbox: Enable cloud-based auto-tagging for accessibility.
4/7
I'll be interested to follow the new API as it evolves and what the impact will be on the field. From a general user standpoint, the inclusion of a good Autotag feature in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader is a big deal.
Adobe has not shared pricing for the new API. I am guessing that its release signals that Adobe intends to enter more aggressively into the accessibility services market, competing with other companies that already offer mass document processing services.
5/7
I am critical of Adobe's annoying licensing system, overpriced software, and continued anti-competitive monopolization of the field. And I really can't wait for more software to appear that truly competes with Adobe Acrobat Pro.
But including a good Auto-Tag in free Adobe Reader software so that everyone has access to it, is, dare I say, a good thing.
6/7
For more information, consult (list of three URLs):
Adobe's Media Alert:
https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2023/Media-Alert-Adobe-Scales-PDF-Accessibility-With-Adobe-Sensei-AI/default.aspx
Forbes article by Steven Aquino (@steven_aquino), which includes comments by Rob Haverty from Adobe:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenaquino/2023/05/17/adobe-wants-to-help-make-pdf-documents-more-accessible-with-ai-based-auto-tag-api/?sh=829ac8eb24c2
Adobe's AutoTag API page for Developers:
https://developer.adobe.com/document-services/apis/pdf-accessibility-auto-tag/
7/7
New AI-powered Adobe PDF Accessibility Auto-Tag API and other new features help companies automate the process of making digital documents more accessible Early adopters in financial services, education and public sector realizing significant time and cost savings while increasing compliance and offering better experiences More than 3 trillion PDF documents in circulation worldwide SAN JOSE, Calif. — Today, Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced the new Adobe PDF Accessibility Auto-Tag API , powered by A
Philip Kiff