Google Photos gets an AI-powered feature called 'Ask Photos'
Google Photos is set to enhance its user experience with a new feature called 'Ask Photos.' Announced at the annual Google I/O 2024 developer conference, this artificial intelligence (AI) upgrade is powered by Google's Gemini AI model. The feature will enable users to search their photo collection using natural language queries, making content discovery more intuitive and less manual. The rollout of 'Ask Photos' is anticipated later this summer.
Simplified search with complex queries
The 'Ask Photos' feature will revolutionize the way users search their Google Photos collection. Instead of looking for specific items, users can now pose complex queries like finding the "best photo from each of the National Parks I visited." The AI uses various signals such as lighting, blurriness, absence of background distortion, and geolocation data to determine the "best" photo from a given set. This innovative approach aims to simplify content discovery as digital collections expand.
'Ask Photos' builds on recent launch of Photo Stacks
The 'Ask Photos' feature is a continuation of Google's recent launch of Photo Stacks in Google Photos. This facility groups together near-duplicate photos and uses AI to highlight the best ones in the group. With over six billion images uploaded daily to Google Photos, these features aim to help users easily find the photos they want from their collections.
'Ask Photos' to provide human-like understanding of images
The 'Ask Photos' feature is designed to understand complex queries that need an almost human-like comprehension of the content in photos. For instance, a parent could ask Google Photos about the themes used for their child's last four birthday parties. The AI can then provide a straightforward answer along with relevant photos and videos. This advanced feature will initially be supported in the US in English, and will function as a text-based feature, similar to an AI chatbot.
Google assures user data privacy
Google has confirmed that users' personal data in Google Photos will not be used for ads. Also, AI conversations and personal data in 'Ask Photos' will not be reviewed by humans, except "in rare cases to address abuse or harm," according to the company. Google also claimed that people's personal data in Google Photos is not used to train any other generative AI product, like Gemini, ensuring user privacy is maintained.
'Ask Photos' to roll out for One subscribers first
The 'Ask Photos' feature will appear as a new tab at the bottom of the Google Photos app, and will initially roll out to One subscribers, over the coming months. Users will have the chance to provide feedback to the AI and indicate their preferred pictures. "Learning is key," said Shimrit Ben-Yair, Google's VP for Photos, emphasizing the importance of user feedback in improving this innovative feature.
