The Well Tools · Software from The Picture Org(anizer)

Online AI Reading

How the optional online reading in Datewell, Labelwell and Sortwell works, and what it sends.

Datewell, Labelwell and Sortwell read everything on your own computer first. You can also choose to have an online AI service read the hard ones. It's off unless you turn it on, it uses your own account with that service, and your pictures never come to us.

What it does

Faded date stamps, old handwriting and scribbled batch cards can be hard to read. Each tool makes its own reading on your computer. If you turn on online reading, the tool can also ask an AI service to read the same small picture, which is often more accurate on difficult writing.

  • Datewell sends a close-up of the date stamp in the corner of a photo.
  • Labelwell sends the label slip or photo back with the writing on it.
  • Sortwell sends the batch card you photographed.

Off unless you turn it on

Nothing is sent online until you choose a service and paste in an API key, in the tool's settings or in Lightroom Classic's Plug-in Manager. You can choose:

  • Claude, by Anthropic
  • ChatGPT models, by OpenAI
  • Gemini, by Google

By default the tool asks online only when its own reading isn't sure. You can choose to have every picture read online instead.

Exactly what is sent

  • The one small picture being read, made no larger than 1,500 pixels on its longest side.
  • A short instruction telling the service what to read, such as "read the date stamp".

Nothing else goes with it: no file or folder names, no keywords, captions or locations, no other photos, and nothing about you or your computer except the standard details any web request carries.

Where it goes

The picture travels over an encrypted connection straight from your computer to the service you chose. It does not pass through The Picture Org, and we never see it, its answer, or your key. The service charges reading to your own account. Reading one small picture usually costs a fraction of a cent.

Your API key

Your key is saved only on your computer, in a file that only your user account can read. It is never sent to us, and it is taken out of any error report before you see it. A key you save in one of our tools works in the others too, so you only paste it once. To stop online reading, choose no service or delete the key, and nothing more is sent.

What the AI services do with your pictures

Once a picture reaches the service you chose, that service's own terms and privacy policy apply. When we last checked their terms:

  • Anthropic and OpenAI say they don't use what you send through their API to train their models, unless you choose to allow it.
  • Google says pictures sent with a free Gemini API key may be used to improve its products and may be seen by human reviewers. Pictures sent on a paid Gemini plan are not.

Terms change, so please read your service's current terms before you turn this on. For family photos we suggest a paid plan with a service that doesn't train on your data.

Questions

Email info@thepictureorg.com. You can read how our software handles your information in our Terms and Privacy page.