Is Generative AI Mature for Alternative Image Descriptions of STEM Content?

Marina Buzzi, Giulio Galesi, Barbara Leporini, Barbara Leporini, Annalisa Nicotera

2024

Abstract

Alternative descriptions of digital images have always been an accessibility issue for screen reader users. Over time, numerous guidelines have been proposed in the literature, but the problem still exists. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has been introduced in digital applications to support visually impaired people in getting information about the world around them. In this way, such applications become a digital assistant for people with visual impairments. Increasingly, generative AI is being exploited to create accessible content for visually impaired people. In the education field, image description can play a crucial role in understanding even scientific content. For this reason, alternative descriptions should be accurate and educational-oriented. In this work, we investigate whether existing AI-based tools on the market are mature for describing images related to scientific content. Five AI-based tools were used to test the generated descriptions of four STEM images chosen for this preliminary study. Results indicate that answers are prompt and context dependent, and this technology can certainly support blind people in everyday tasks; but for STEM educational content more effort is required for delivering accessible and effective descriptions, supporting students in satisfying and accurate image exploration.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Buzzi M., Galesi G., Leporini B. and Nicotera A. (2024). Is Generative AI Mature for Alternative Image Descriptions of STEM Content?. In Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 1: WEBIST; ISBN 978-989-758-718-4, SciTePress, pages 274-281. DOI: 10.5220/0012996800003825

in Bibtex Style

@conference{webist24,
author={Marina Buzzi and Giulio Galesi and Barbara Leporini and Annalisa Nicotera},
title={Is Generative AI Mature for Alternative Image Descriptions of STEM Content?},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 1: WEBIST},
year={2024},
pages={274-281},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0012996800003825},
isbn={978-989-758-718-4},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 1: WEBIST
TI - Is Generative AI Mature for Alternative Image Descriptions of STEM Content?
SN - 978-989-758-718-4
AU - Buzzi M.
AU - Galesi G.
AU - Leporini B.
AU - Nicotera A.
PY - 2024
SP - 274
EP - 281
DO - 10.5220/0012996800003825
PB - SciTePress