# Automatic AI image captions **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Tags:** ai\ **Created:** [June 12, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783 "2024-06-12T13:48:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783/1 "2024-06-12T13:48:08Z")
There’s a new button in our profile settings for \*Automatic AI image captions \* that I just noticed. It does not appear activated yet but what is its intended purpose? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783/2 "2024-06-12T13:52:50Z")
I don’t see such a setting (Firefox mobile on Android, Straight Dope Dark theme). But apparently it’s a thing. > **[AI Image Captioning Feature in Discourse AI Plugin](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ai-image-captioning-feature-in-discourse-ai-plugin/296087)** > > We’ve introduced an AI Image Captioning feature to the Discourse AI plugin, enabling automatic caption generation for images in posts. This functionality aims to improve content accessibility and enrich visual elements within your community. ... I’m skeptical TPTB would spring for a “Discourse AI plugin”, given the chilly reception even dumb ol’ Discobot gets here. Besides, it appears how it works will be a complete non-starter with how images are done here, since step one of the how-to is “Upload an image in the Discourse editor”, which isn’t allowed here. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783/3 "2024-06-12T13:56:53Z")
I see it at the end of the row, after the navigation setting. I’m also using dark theme. [![](https://i.ibb.co/F8c9Gtj/IMG-9449.png) ](https://i.ibb.co/F8c9Gtj/IMG-9449.png) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783/4 "2024-06-12T13:59:59Z")
I found it. Good directions. So, the plugin is installed (or else that setting wouldn’t be available). Maybe the “plugin” gets installed for free. But I still doubt it would work, if it requires direct upload of images (instead of linking to a external server, which is the only way to so images here). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783/5 "2024-06-12T14:09:25Z")
Moved to Site Feedback as the SDMB did not add the feature/button. This was a Discourse change. * * * * * * Checking the What’s New and the [Discourse Message Board](https://meta.discourse.org/c/documentation/10), I cannot find a mention of this. This might be accidental and disappear within a few days. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783/6 "2024-06-12T15:01:57Z")
@gnoitall just linked to where this is mentioned on the Discourse Message Board. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-ai-image-captions/1002783/7 "2024-06-12T15:34:19Z")
Anyway, this sounds like a newish feature that got rolled out to us without our awareness or planning and which, I suspect, we don’t have a use for. You don’t get high volumes of AI access for free and I doubt we have a budget to pay for a proper API key, and the directions indicate a dependence on a way of uploading images that isn’t supported here. Not that I wish to tell administration its business, but I would suggest we find a way to remove that pointless setting option and never speak of this again.