AI Alt‑Text—When to Trust, When to Edit

AI-Generated Alt Text: When to Use It

AI-generated alt text is fast, scalable, and increasingly popular—but is it always accurate or inclusive?

In accessibility-focused UX, automated image descriptions can help or harm.

This article shows you when to accept AI alt-text and when you need a human touch to make your product truly accessible and useful.

What Is Alt Text and Why It Matters

Alt text is a textual description of images used by screen readers and search engines.

It helps visually impaired users understand content and improves SEO when written properly.

Good alt text is:

• Accurate
• Descriptive
• Context-aware
• Concise

Bad alt text—or missing it altogether—hurts user experience and compliance with WCAG guidelines.

When AI Alt‑Text Works Well

AI is great for:

• Simple objects (“A red apple on a white background”)
• Product shots with no context
• Placeholder or decorative images
• Generating bulk alt text for large image libraries

Many modern platforms (like Shopify, Figma, and Canva) now integrate alt-text AI to speed up work—especially helpful during MVP and prototype stages.

When AI Alt‑Text Fails

AI often struggles with:

• Contextual meaning (e.g., protest photo vs. celebration)
• Humor, irony, or emotional tone
• Brand messaging
• Specific people, places, or cultural details
• Over-describing (“A close-up of a visually detailed human interface layout in daylight”)

If you rely too heavily on AI, your product may sound robotic—or worse, insensitive.

Best Practices for Editing AI Alt‑Text

• Start with AI, but always review
• Add context the AI may miss
• Keep it relevant to user task and page content
• Avoid redundant phrases like “image of”
• Consider tone, audience, and accessibility requirements
• Use your product’s voice when needed (especially in branded UI)

Editing takes just a few seconds per image—but can dramatically improve both accessibility and user experience.

Conclusion

AI alt-text can save time, but it shouldn’t replace human judgment.

If you care about accessibility, trust the machine to get you started—then refine with empathy, clarity, and intention.

That’s how you make every visual count.