Instagram head Adam Mosseri just tweeted that they are adding auto-generated captions to their videos. The Instagram team hopes this feature could help deaf and hard-of-hearing users to enjoy the app.
Mosseri tweeted the full details of this announcement on Tuesday, March 1. Unfortunately for fans, not much information was revealed about the topic.
It’s a long time coming, but we’re excited to share a new tool that empowers those in the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) March 1, 2022
Videos on Instagram will now have auto-generated captions, where you have the option to turn them off or on. pic.twitter.com/DNyzcdiPSU
Instagram Video Captions: How to Generate
The Verge noted that prior to the update, Instagram users had to manually create the captions for their videos. This can be time consuming, and users were forced to search for workarounds for the issue.
Fortunately, Instagram seems aware of the problem. So they introduced this new online tool which can analyze audio and intuitively generate text captions automatically. Be warned that this tool might still have a lot of drawbacks.
First, keep in mind that the AI system generating the text will not be perfect. Users should not be surprised if some of the words in the caption appear as typos or homonyms. Sources say this system will improve as more people will use the tool. This is because the AI system will learn how to use words on the right occasion properly.
Note that caption will only be available to "select languages" during launch. Sources have yet to identify what specific languages are included, but English will definitely be on the list. Instagram says it will continue to improve the captions feature and to add more languages in the coming months.
How to Use Instagram Auto-Generated Captions
It is worth pointing out that auto-generated captions might introduce a major change to the system. As previously mentioned, this can primarily help hard-of-hearing and deaf users to enjoy the app. This could also be helpful to users who prefer reading texts or to people who want to watch Instagram videos without sounds.
Notably, Instagram will probably have to monitor its system for possible changes in user viewing habits and engagement on the app.
Do Instagram Auto-Generated Captions Turn On/Off?
Sources say that this new auto-generated captions feature will be turned on by default on Instagram videos. Fortunately for users, they will also have the option to turn the feature on or off.
According to Mosseri's tweet, users can turn on or off this feature by opening their app settings and selecting the "Manage Captions" options. Users can toggle on or off the feature based on their preference.
The new Instagram auto-generated captions might be available on the latest version of the app, so users are recommended to update their systems.
The Instagram auto-generated tool is still a relatively new tool, so it is hard to determine how effective its utility can be. For now, fans are recommended to test the feature themselves by logging in to Instagram. Hopefully, new updates and user feedback about this feature might be available later this month.
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