Google has begun rolling out its new search feature in Google Photos called "Ask Photos," an AI-powered tool that allows users to make more complex queries to find specific photos. First announced in May during the Google I/O developer conference, this feature will initially be available to select U.S. users in "early access" before expanding to a broader audience.
Smarter and More Personalized Searches
The technology behind Ask Photos is powered by Google’s Gemini AI model, enabling users to search using natural language. Previously, Google Photos users could search for specific people, places, or objects, but with this AI upgrade, searches become much more advanced. For example, users can ask the AI to find "the best photo from each national park I visited." The AI will analyze factors such as lighting, sharpness, and lack of background distortion to select the best image from each location, combining that information with the geolocation data of the photos.
In addition to photo retrieval, Ask Photos can also respond to useful questions related to images. For example, a parent could ask which themes were used for their child's last four birthday parties. The AI would analyze the photos to determine themes like "mermaid," "princess," or "superhero," and tell the parent when each theme was last used.
Practical Applications and Privacy Protection
The tool’s capabilities go beyond retrieving photos. Users can ask questions like "what did we order last time at this restaurant?" or "where did we camp last time at Yosemite?" assuming they have photos of those experiences. This could make it easier to create photo albums or compile images to summarize a trip.
Google’s AI can also identify important people in your life, hobbies, favorite foods, and other relevant details, allowing it to offer more personalized and contextual results.
To access Ask Photos, selected U.S. users will find the feature in Google Labs, as it is still in the experimental phase. Google has ensured that the tool follows its AI Principles, with private photo data never used for advertising. While Google employees may review queries to improve the AI, the AI-generated answers will not be reviewed by humans unless users report issues or provide feedback.