Automatic AI image caption setting not saved

Product Support
,

AI-generated summary

The discussion revolves around an issue with the automatic AI image captioning feature in Discourse, where settings are not saved after page reloads. Don reports that the checkbox for enabling auto-captioning remains unchecked despite attempts to enable it, and captions are not generated even when settings appear to be correct. Keegan clarifies that the setting should persist and outlines the necessary conditions for the feature to work, including proper installation of discourse-ai, enabled composer_ai_helper, inclusion of image_caption in enabled features, and user group permissions. Don resolves the issue by enabling composer_ai_helper, confirming the setting is now saved. Bathinda asks if captions can be auto-generated without manual intervention, while Jagster notes that the feature sometimes works inconsistently, possibly due to image size or caching issues. Rokejulianlockhart highlights that similar problems are common across sites, suggesting a broader configuration or bug issue.

1

Hello :waving_hand:

I’ve tried to set up the automatic AI image caption and it seems the settings not saved. When I click the Enable button on modal it seems works until I reload the page. Then when I go to the setting to enable it the setting seems not save.

The difference between Meta and my site is the checkbox. If I turn on / off here it keeps checked / unchecked after I save it. On my site it’s always unchecked.

It doesn’t matter I turn on this setting the uploaded image won’t automatically captioned. :thinking:

I didn’t notice any error in console or logs.

Thanks :slightly_smiling_face:

2

Hello :waving_hand: Is anybody experienced it? If so than we can move it to Contribute > Bug :thinking:

3

Setting is saved without problems. But captions are never created. So something funny is happening there.

4

:thinking: hmmm that’s odd can you please check your /u/don.json on your site and see if you have user.user_option.auto_image_caption property?

Setting is working for me, and the captions are creating. There is some criteria for auto captions:

  • it contains images
  • images are not small (> 0.4 MP)
  • their current alt text is bad (single word, less than 20 chars)

Is it still not creating captions even with images under this criteria?

5

I can’t count using marketing metrics such MP is, but those are 1024xsomething by pixelsize.

This didn’t get a caption

IMG_5129
IMG_51292593×1459 921 KB

Does Discourse use filename instead if there is not an alt text? Those are always under 20 chars :thinking:

I think this should split in two. We are off topic now.

6

Thanks @keegan! I’ve checked it.
Here, I can see "auto_image_caption": true so maybe the criteria not meet :thinking:
but

The images, I tried to upload is mobile made photos. These are more then 0.4MP, I think. :thinking: Unfortunately now I can’t check it. My phone is broken…

I tried to upload images with same format of alt text. For example: IMG_20240610_xxxx. Sometimes generates the alt text when it’s uploaded, sometimes not.

I think it would be better to generate every uploaded image…

On my site I checked the /u/username.json too but I didn’t find the “auto_image_caption”. :thinking: I think it’s because I can’t save it on my settings the checkbox is always unchecked. Maybe a conflict with other plugin :thinking: But if it’s unchecked should I see "auto_image_caption": false?

My site setting is:
ai helper enabled features: image_caption
ai auto image caption allowed groups: trust_level_4
ai helper image caption model: Google - gemini-1.5-flash

Finally, I can turn on my phone. Testing time :slightly_smiling_face:

No alt text generated

IMG_20240609_081728
IMG_20240609_0817281920×1440 243 KB

3648x2736px 2.93MB

IMG_20240609_081702
IMG_20240609_0817021920×1440 227 KB

3648x2736px 4.17MB

Maybe the automatic image optimization compress it too small to start the alt image captioning. :thinking:

Let’s try bigger images.

IMG_20240611_140303
IMG_20240611_1403031920×2560 320 KB

5472x7296px 10.56MB

IMG_20240611_140425
IMG_20240611_1404251920×2560 332 KB

5472x7296px 9.91MB

Unfortunately it didn’t generate Alt text :confused:

7

It should still appear even if you can’t save it in your settings. The field should appear and show false…

There are a few things necessary for it to be setup.

  • Do you have discourse-ai installed and enabled?
  • SiteSetting.composer_ai_helper enabled?
  • SiteSetting.ai_helper_enabled_features includes image_caption
  • Is the user you are testing with on your site a member of the groups set under SiteSetting.ai_auto_image_caption_allowed_groups ?

Could you confirm you have these setup? :point_up:

8

Thanks, this was it. :slightly_smiling_face: I’ve enabled this site setting and now the auto image caption setting saved correctly.

9

Yes. all are done.

But every time I insert the image I’ve to click Caption with AI in the composer window’s preview area.

Is there a way that all images are ‘Automatically Captioned with AI’, without the need of clicking on “Caption with Ai”?

10
  1. https://forums.powershell.org/t/ai-captions-are-impossible-to-enable/24439?u=beedellrokejulianloc
  2. AI captions are impossible to enable - Techlore - Techlore Forum

Whatever misconfiguration is occurring, it’s commonplace.

11

The setting is saved, for me anyway. I get AI-caption automatically quite rarely gives a feeling there is some strange going. At one point I was totally sure it works on public categories only, but now I’m quite sure it is just depending size of images. Same reason why [grid] is useless.

So… I reckon the actual issue, vanishing settings, is fixed. Kind of, because killing history, cache and cookies of Safari (iPad) wakes up the request of allowing automatic caption, and on every category, but then it suddendly stops. It shouldn’t ask it, because on settings I’ve allowed captioning.

I think we need a new topic of ghosting AI that is possessed by strange spirits.