zeldmanSTOP USING AI FOR ALT TEXT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
Jorge Arango@zeldman my alt texts have greatly improved since I started generating them with AI. What issues should I be looking to avoid?
@jarango Laziness (on your part) and lack of empathy (also on your part). Writing ALT text makes you think about the purpose of each image. Not just what does it show, but why is it included, what does it add to the conversation? Does someone who can’t view the image (or can’t see it clearly) deserve to understand what’s behind the image? You bet they do. So write a real ALT text that conveys the experience.
@zeldman I struggle to see how using AI for alt text leads to mindless use of images. I’m using images as thoughtfully as before. The main difference is alt texts are more detailed and (hopefully) helpful.
An alt text laboriously hand-crafted by a human isn’t necessarily better. AIs can do it better and faster than I can most of the time.
Lazy would be not including an alt text. This tool can help deliver a better experience for users with low/no vision. How is using it a lack of empathy?
@zeldman (It’s important to note I’m hand-prompting, reviewing, and tweaking each AI-generated alt text. This isn’t something to “set and forget”; that would indeed be a disservice.)
Matt Wilcox@zeldman It’s vastly improved my alt text. With. That. Said. You gotta edit what it gives you. Every time.
I now have much better more descriptive alt text; but it’s not any faster to do. It just takes the same time as writing a one sentence by hand; only instead it’s two paras of detail (once stripped of excess detail or wrong text)
[edit: linked example. https://mstdn.social/@mattwilcox/114705686790932969 ]
Matt Wilcox (@mattwilcox@mstdn.social)
Attached: 1 image Look; I have *owned and ridden* a kickr core for over a year. And I have no fucking idea what this advert I keep seeing is trying to tell me. How can you be so far in your own companies head that you spit out advertising that doesn’t make sense to *people who already use your products* let alone people who don’t? What is anyone supposed to take from this?
@mattwilcox Sounds like you’re putting work into writing helpful ALT texts, not just plugging in whatever the LLM cranked out. You’re using the LLM as an assistant to your own effort. That’s reasonable, even if it ignores the energy cost of running LLMs. The climate issue is important but didn’t prompt my post. ALT text is part of user experience, especially for disabled folks, and deserves a thoughtful, human touch, which is why I write mine with empathy and intention.
@zeldman Speaking of the energy cost, it's not that bad anymore.
The energy cost for each Alt text is actually given to me as part of the response (0.286Wh is the average), and that's the same as running a modern 9Watt (60Watt equivalent) light bulb for just under 2 minutes. Or an old fashioned 60W light bulb for 17 seconds.
That's not bad in my book. And, hopefully, a lot of this stuff matters less as we shift to renewables (which is going "OK" here in the UK, though I wish it'd go faster)
@zeldman My point being: I have been (and still am) a skeptic on this AI stuff too. Especially the "generative" crap.
But I have found *this* sort of use case produces a better result than my own pure effort ever gave, and with not much cost - ethically, morally, or environmentally.
You can never trust it and leave it un-looked-at. But it does increase the quality of alt text on my posts.
Štěpán
AlexTECPlayz@zeldman Hmm, nah. I don't use AI for alt text at the moment, but I would still check the output for any inconsistencies or errors.
Still, AI-powered alt text is better than whatever was before it, or nothing at all. What's the alternative to automatic alt text, besides manually putting in the work to do it? Nothing. Screen readers might as well skip over the image if it lacks alt text, and basic image recognition isn't enough.
@alextecplayz Better than nothing? Sure. You know what’s better than better than nothing? Doing the work yourself.
lonely extrovert@zeldman people asking why -- because every time you hit that AI button, it uses up huge tons of electricity/other resources, encourages the building of yet more giant data farms negatively impacting the communities near them, and make creeps like peter thiel even richer. morally reprehensible, frankly.
@rothko That’s true and important, but I was mainly thinking about missing the opportunity to inject genuine human personality and empathy into your ALT text. Good ALT text describes what the picture shows. Great ALT text conveys the ideas and feelings behind the image. That’s how I do it, anyway.
@zeldman yes, very important in these spaces, and something that AI descriptions will lack.
@stepan @rothko @altbot Again, the climate issue was not what motivated my post, which was a reminder to be thoughtful and put in the work when creating user experiences. If you shortchange the ALT text, you’re limiting the experience of folks who are already at a disadvantage because they can’t directly experience what sighted people can. It’s like stealing from the poor. Put some human love into your ALT text. As a bonus, you’ll avoid needlessly using electricity.