Instagram announced today that will soon add an AI features that will describe photos for users with visual impairments. The changes will allow screen readers to describe photos, either automatically using AI or by reading custom descriptions added by users.
These descriptions, known as alt text, are widely used online and are now being built into Instagram. Users will be able to enter their own photo descriptions so that people using screen readers software that describes the elements displayed on a screen can hear it read aloud as they browse their feed, Explore page, or a profile.
If there is no description, Instagram will automatically identify what’s in a photo using object recognition technology, then read its automated description of a photo aloud when someone scrolls by. The alt text descriptions won’t be visible, and users will have to go into a photo’s advanced settings to include one.
