Instagram announced today that it’s rolling out new features that will make the app easier to use for people 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…
Written by Ashley Carman
This news first appeared on https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/28/18116323/instagram-ai-visual-impairment-description under the title “Instagram is now using AI to describe photos for users with visual impairments”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
