What are the drawbacks of using AI to create alt text?
Question
Answer
One of the biggest challenges with AI-generated alt text is that it often misses the purpose of an image. Instead of focusing on why the image is there, AI tools tend to describe every visual detail, which can lead to long, bloated text.
AI also struggles to tell the difference between meaningful and decorative images. That can cause unnecessary descriptions that clutter the experience for screen reader users and may even create compliance issues under WCAG 1.1.1.
Another drawback is accuracy. AI can “hallucinate” and describe things that aren’t really in the image, or add opinions and interpretations that don’t belong in alt text. Best practice is to keep descriptions concise, purposeful, and objective, something AI can’t always guarantee without human review.
