Google Photos is getting some improvements, including a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature, the tech giant announced on Thursday. The Photo Gallery app is now getting an Ask Photos feature that will allow users to search for specific images by sending Gemini a conversational question. Additionally, the platform is also getting a ‘descriptive queries’ feature, which will allow users to type descriptive search queries in its native search bar. Notably, the Ask Photos feature is currently only available in Early Access.
Google Photos gets Ask Photos feature
In a blog post, the company announced the new Google Photos feature. Ask Photos is an experimental feature that is part of Google Labs. Currently, it is being shipped in a limited release in the US with access only to select users.
Ask Photos will be available as a separate interface within the Google Photos app. Users can access it by tapping on the search icon at the bottom right of the app. In the full-screen interface, users can now access Gemini and ask it to show specific images. Users can send questions in spoken language.
For example, users can ask “Show me my photos at Shaurya’s birthday party”, and Gemini will be able to understand and contextualize the information to show relevant images. Additionally, users can also ask Gemini to suggest images to share on social media apps.
Google highlighted that it is focusing on user privacy and data security. The company claimed that user data in Google Photos will not be used for advertisements. Humans can review search queries made in Ask Photos to improve the feature, however, the company claims this will only happen after disconnecting the user’s account.
Additionally, the tech giant said that the answers given by Ask Photos, including your photos and videos, are not reviewed by humans.
Additionally, Google Photos is also improving the platform’s native search experience for all users. A new feature called descriptive queries will allow users to type a search query in natural-like sentences to add more information about what they’re looking for. The feature is available in English language for all users on Android and iOS.
