> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.peec.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI agents read your image alt text as content

> Peec's Deep Research logs (Jun 2026) — ChatGPT's agent reads image alt text as page content, lifting ratings straight from alt attributes; images without alt text are skipped as decorative.

Image alt text is the only thing ChatGPT's Deep Research agent can read from an image — and it treats it as page content. Peec's recorded session logs ([full study](https://peec.ai/blog/how-chatgpt-deep-research-reads-your-site-what-the-logs-reveal), Jun 2026) show every image rendered into the read text as a marker carrying its alt attribute.

Two documented behaviors (Jun 2026):

* **Alt text becomes facts in answers.** On a comparison task the agent lifted a rating straight from alt text — "The image alt text mentions 'Defaqto 5-star' and 'Which? Recommended Provider…'. I'll note these details and verify their accuracy." A badge, chart, or award graphic with rich alt text can put its claim into the AI answer.
* **No alt text means invisible.** With `alt=""` or a meaningless filename, the agent reads the filename and gives up: "It seems to be a vector graphic ('awardwinning-360x140.svg')… likely just decorative, so I'll skip it."

The action: write real, fact-carrying alt text on every meaningful image — ratings, award names, chart takeaways — because in this pipeline alt text is content, not an accessibility afterthought. How the rest of the page gets read: [How Deep Research reads your site](/research/how-deep-research-reads-your-site).

**Source:** [How ChatGPT Deep Research reads your site: What the logs reveal](https://peec.ai/blog/how-chatgpt-deep-research-reads-your-site-what-the-logs-reveal), Peec (David Konitzny), Jun 2026.