Screen Reader Accessibility for AI-Generated Graphics
Not Everyone Experiences Design the Same Way
Artificial intelligence has become an incredible creative tool. In just a few seconds, it can generate an event flyer, social media graphic or marketing piece that looks polished and ready to publish to the untrained eye.
At D’Eramo Creative, we use AI regularly in our own workflow as a tool for brainstorming, creating concepts and speeding up repetitive tasks.
But, when it comes to accessibility, there’s one important question AI doesn’t ask:
Can everyone access the information?
For businesses and nonprofit orgs, that’s a question worth answering before you hit “Post.”
What Screen Readers Read
When most of us look at a graphic, we take in the colors, fonts, photos and layout almost instantly. Our eyes naturally follow the design from the headline to the details and finally to the CTA.
A screen reader doesn’t experience your graphic that way.
Screen readers are assistive technologies used by people who are blind or have low vision. Instead of interpreting visual design, they read aloud the information that’s available digitally.
If your event flyer is uploaded as a single image without alternative text (alt text), a screen reader may only announce:
“Image.”
or:
“Graphic.”
The typography, colors and event details aren’t communicated at all.
What Happens When AI Creates an Event Flyer?
Designers everywhere just rolled their eyes. 🙄
::Beep beep boop:: Event flyer successfully generated by AI.
Visually, it includes:
- A large event title
- The date in decorative script
- Time and location near the bottom
- A colorful background
- A swoosh paint stroke (IYKYK)
- Registration information in small print
To someone looking at the flyer, everything seems perfectly clear, but if all of that information exists only inside the image, someone using a screen reader may never receive it.
Some platforms attempt to recognize text automatically using optical character recognition (OCR), but the results can be inconsistent. Information may be read out of order, skipped entirely or misunderstood, especially when decorative fonts, overlapping graphics or busy backgrounds are involved.
That means someone may never learn:
- What the event is
- When it’s happening
- Where it’s taking place
- Who’s hosting it
- How to register
Not because the information wasn’t included, but because it wasn’t presented in an accessible way.
What Does an Accessible Graphic Look Like?
Accessibility starts before the graphic is ever published.
An accessible version of that same event promotion might include descriptive alt text like this:
Event flyer for Octopus Encounter Day at the South Carolina Aquarium on Tuesday, July 7, from 10 am to 2 pm. Celebrate one of the ocean’s most intelligent creatures with live octopus feedings, keeper talks, educational exhibits and activities for all ages. Admission is free. Learn more and register at example-website-here.org.
***This event is fictional, but we’d absolutely buy a ticket.***
Now someone using a screen reader receives the same essential information as everyone else. The design stays the same, but the experience becomes more inclusive.
Accessibility Goes Beyond Alt Text
Writing good alt text is an important step, but it’s only part of creating accessible marketing materials. As designers, we should also consider questions like:
- Is the text large enough to read comfortably?
- Is there enough color contrast between the text and background?
- Are decorative fonts making important information difficult to read?
- Does the layout still work on a mobile device?
- Is color the only way information is being communicated?
- Could the event details also be included in the social media caption or webpage?
These decisions help everyone, not just people using assistive technology.
Clearer communication benefits ALL audiences!
AI Is Fast. Accessibility Takes Intention.
AI has become a powerful assistant for creative professionals. It helps generate ideas, accelerate workflows and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks.
But it doesn’t understand your audience.
It doesn’t know whether someone has low vision. It doesn’t evaluate readability the way a designer does and it can’t decide whether your content is truly accessible to everyone who might experience it.
That’s why accessibility should always be part of the review process, whether your graphic was created by AI or by hand.
Better Design Includes Everyone
Great design is equal parts appearance and accessibility.
AI can create graphics in seconds, but thoughtful human review ensures they’re clear, functional and accessible.
Whether you’ve created your graphics with AI, Canva or Adobe Creative Suite, reviewing them through an accessibility lens can make a meaningful difference. Simple improvements to readability, color contrast, alt text and content structure help make your design more inclusive.
If you’d like a second set of eyes before you publish, we’d be happy to help review your graphics.
Email hello@deramocreative.com today!