The Challenge of Alt-text at Scale
In today’s digital-first world, ensuring accessibility is not just a requirement; it’s a responsibility. As more content moves online, organizations must ensure that every user, regardless of ability, can engage with digital content seamlessly. However, creating meaningful and accurate alt-text for images remains a persistent challenge—particularly, for publishers, eCommerce platforms, and educational institutions handling large volumes of content.
Adding to this challenge is the sheer volume of images that need alt-text. Manually processing thousands of images is time consuming and inefficient. Automated batch processing plays a crucial role in addressing this issue by allowing organizations to process large volumes of images quickly and efficiently, reducing the workload and ensuring consistent accessibility compliance.
When Manual Work Becomes Overwhelming
A leading higher-education publisher recently found itself facing this challenge head-on. With a tight deadline and over 9,000 images to process across multiple EPUBs, manually generating alt-text was proving to be time consuming and inconsistent. The publisher needed a faster, more efficient way to make their content accessible—one that didn’t compromise on contextual accuracy or compliance with WCAG standards.
That’s where Altex.AI came in. Designed to streamline accessibility workflows, Altex.AI automates alt-text generation, ensuring that images are described in a way that is relevant, meaningful, and aligned with accessibility guidelines. Additionally, its automated batch processing feature enabled the publisher to handle thousands of images in bulk, significantly reducing the time required to complete the project.
How Altex.AI Simplifies Alt-text Generation
To tackle the challenge effectively, Altex.AI utilized a custom-trained AI model, fine-tuned with thousands of image datasets and leveraging large language models (LLMs) for enhanced contextual understanding. This ensured that the generated alt-text was not just descriptive but also contextually accurate.
Unlike traditional manual processes, Altex.AI leverages AI-powered automation and human expertise to ensure the generated alt-text is both accurate and scalable. For the publisher, this meant that batch processing could handle thousands of images at once, significantly reducing the turnaround time while maintaining high-quality descriptions.
Altex.AI’s custom-trained AI model analyzed each image, identifying key elements and generating context-aware alt-text. To maintain accuracy, Amnet’s human-in-the-loop quality assurance process ensured that the generated alt-text descriptions met established compliance and quality standards before being finalized. Throughout the process, Amnet’s accessibility specialists collaborated closely with the publisher, addressing queries and refining the output based on specific needs.
A Practical Approach to Accessibility
Beyond automation, Altex.AI also tailored output formats to meet the client’s needs, delivering the results in Excel thumbnail sheets, making it easier for the publisher’s team to integrate the generated alt-text seamlessly into their workflow. This streamlined approach led to significant savings in time and cost, compared to manual alt-text creation, reinforcing the value of AI-driven solutions in large-scale accessibility projects.
By the end of the project, the publisher had successfully generated alt-text for all 9,000+ images within two weeks—a task that would have taken significantly longer with a manual approach. The efficiency and accuracy of Altex.AI not only met their immediate needs but also led them to expand their engagement with Amnet, relying on the solution for additional projects.
(INFOGRAPHIC) Altex.AI is built on Amnet’s A.C.C.E.S.S. methodology, a structured approach to simplifying accessibility:
- Automated Batch Processing: Processes large volumes of images quickly and efficiently.
- Contextual Conversion: Generates alt-text that matches the tone and intent of the content.
- Compliance with Standards: Aligns with WCAG and other accessibility guidelines.
- Easy Integration: API-based setup for smooth CMS compatibility.
- Simple Setup: Plug-and-play functionality with minimal onboarding.
- Scalable Solution: Designed for both small and large projects.
Streamlining Alt-text for Better Accessibility
Ensuring accessibility shouldn’t be an added burden for organizations. With tools like Altex.AI, publishers, eCommerce businesses, and content creators can generate alt-text efficiently while maintaining accuracy and compliance. By streamlining this process, businesses can focus on their core content while meeting accessibility requirements without additional manual effort.
With over 25 years of expertise, Amnet provides end-to-end digital publishing and accessibility solutions, including editorial, production, peer review management, and technology-driven content services. Altex.AI reflects Amnet’s approach to simplifying accessibility, helping businesses integrate alt-text generation into their workflows seamlessly.
