Google Photos Introduces AI-Powered 'Ask Photos' Feature for Enhanced Search

Ask Photos bringing AI search to Google Photos -- how to check it out

Google teased its AI-powered Ask Photos features back in May during the Google I/O 2024 conference, and now the tech giant is enabling early access to the new feature, at least for Android users in the U.S. t If you remember, Ask Photos utilizes Gemini AI models to search your photos using conversational language where the AI is asked to "understand the context of your photo gallery," as Google puts it. That means you'll be able to search for important people in your life, specific hobbies or even favorite foods, and Ask Photos will surface information about those specific images. As an example, you can also "ask" questions in the app like "Where did we camp last time we went to Yosemite?" or "What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley?" According to Google, the AI feature "understands details, like where you took photos with your camping gear or what dish is sitting on the table in your picture at the restaurant, to give you the answer." When Ask Photos becomes enabled, it will replace the classic magnifying Search on the bottom search bar in Photos with a new magnifying glass featuring the Gemini star symbled and labeled "Ask." Tapping that allows you to put in your natural language queries. It's meant to mimic a conversation, but you can switch to normal search at any time. The Gemini logo pops up when you use Ask where it will start thinking, searching and reviewing prior to showing request images. If Ask Photos fails to find what you're searching for, Google says that you'll be able to provide additional clues to help with the search. Google says the feature won't be used for ads and claims that Ask Photos falls under the protection of the company's security measures to safeguard your privacy. :To help us improve Ask Photos, queries may be reviewed by humans, but only after being disconnected from your Google Account to protect your privacy," Google added. "The answers provided by Ask Photos, including your photos and videos, are not reviewed by humans, unless you provide feedback or in rare cases to address abuse or harm." If you're a part of Google Labs where Google tests new AI features in their products, you might get invited to check out Ask Photos early. Otherwise, you'll can sign up for the waitlist to request early access. Google is also rolling out search updates to everyone who uses Google Photos on both Android and iOS devices. As part of the update, you'll be able to use what Google calls "everyday language" to search for specific photos. For example, you could type "Alice and me laughing" or "Emma painting in the background." Additionally, Google added the ability to sort search results by date or relevance to help find specific images faster. Expect the Photos search improvements to start rolling out today, though as this article was published, we had yet to receive a Photos update.

Too Many Pics? Google Rolls Out 'Ask Photos' for Easier Photo Searches

First announced at Google I/O in May, Ask Photos lets you go beyond basic search terms. Ask for things like: "Alice and me laughing," "Kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains," or "Emma painting in the backyard," Google says in a blog post. Gemini will scan your library and show relevant results, eliminating the need for scrolling. To start using the feature, eligible users can tap "Ask" at the bottom of the Google Photos app and enter queries in a Gemini-like interface. Google says Gemini's multimodal capabilities can also "understand the context and subject of photos" and respond to deeper, more complex queries. For instance, if you're planning your daughter's birthday party, you can ask questions about past themes, such as: "What themes did we have for Lena's last 4 birthday parties?" Gemini will go through your photos to find dates, themes, decorations, backgrounds, cakes, people, and more to respond with a collection of images and a written description of the last four themes. Google says personal data in Google Photos will never be used for ads, nor will its team review "conversations and personal data in Ask Photos, except in rare cases to address abuse or harm." Like any other AI-based feature, Ask Photos might not always provide accurate results, Google says. However, users can correct the response or provide extra information to help train the AI. Ask Photos is available for testing in English for select US users via Google Labs. If you wish to gain early access, you can join Google's waitlist.

Google's AI-powered Ask Photos feature begins U.S. rollout

First announced at Google's I/O developer conference this May, Google Photos' AI-powered search feature, "Ask Photos," is rolling out to users starting today. The feature, which allows users to ask the AI to find photos using more complex queries, will initially be available in "early access" to select customers in the U.S. before expanding to a wider user base. Powered by Google's Gemini AI model, Ask Photos lets users search their photos using natural language queries that leverage the AI's understanding of their photo's content and other metadata. Previously, Google Photos users could search for particular people, places or things in their photos, but the AI upgrade will allow them to ask a larger variety of questions, including those that require a deeper understanding of the photos. For example, as Google suggested during I/O, you could ask for the "best photo from each of the National Parks I visited." The AI uses a variety of signals to determine what's the "best" of a given set, including things like lighting, blurriness, and lack of background distortion, among other things. It would then combine that with its understanding of the geolocation of the photos to find those taken at National Parks. Google said the feature could be used for more than just photo retrieval alone -- users would also be able to ask questions to get helpful answers. For instance, a parent could ask Google Photos what themes they had used for their child's last four birthdays. The AI would be able to analyze party photos and determine if a theme was involved, like "mermaid," "princess," "superhero," or anything else. It could then tell the parent when those themes were last used. More practical questions could be those that help you recall a specific event, like "what did we order last time at this restaurant" -- presuming you like to photograph your meals. Or you could ask "where did we camp last time" at a specific destination, like Yosemite, the company suggests. You could also use the feature to help you put together photos for an album or to summarize all the things you did on a trip. The AI understands the context of your photo gallery, including the important people in your life, your hobbies, your favorite foods, and other relevant details and memories. To access Ask Photos, select U.S. users will be able to find the feature within Google Labs, as it's still in the experimental phase. The company says the feature's development is guided by its AI Principles, and the private data in Photos will never be used for ad targeting. However, Google employees may review users' queries to help improve the AI over time. The AI's answers will not be reviewed by humans, unless the user reaches out for support, to provide feedback, or to report abuse or harm.

Google Photos upgrades Search with conversational AI, enhanced query capabilities

The updated search experience allows users to sort results by either date or relevance, enhancing the speed and accuracy of image retrieval. This feature is currently being released in English for both Android and iOS users, with plans to support additional languages in the coming weeks, according to GSM Arena. In addition to this, select users in the US are gaining early access to a new feature called 'Ask Photos,' available through Google Labs for those who are on the waitlist. This feature leverages the advanced capabilities of Gemini AI to enhance search by understanding the context of users' photo galleries. For instance, you can ask 'Ask Photos' questions such as "When did we eat at the airport in Delhi?" and it will provide relevant details based on the context of your photos, such as the people, places, and activities depicted. 'Ask Photos' functions similarly to a chatbot, offering a conversational interface where users can refine their queries if the initial search does not yield the desired results. This AI-driven feature can summarize trip highlights, suggest the best photos from specific events, and more, all powered by Gemini's sophisticated models, as per GSM Arena. Google emphasizes that while human reviewers may examine Ask Photos queries to refine the service, this process occurs after queries are disconnected from users' Google Accounts to ensure privacy. Responses generated by 'Ask Photos' are typically not reviewed by humans unless feedback is provided or in cases where abuse or harm needs to be addressed. (ANI)

Google Photos Just Got a Huge Boost with Search Capabilities - Phandroid

Google's doubled-down stance on injecting AI smarts into its many hardware and software products has certainly yielded a lot of conversation around the topic, and while many have been wary about the search giant's foray into AI and LLMs, this hasn't fazed the company one bit. As such, Google is now rolling out its "Ask Photos" feature for select users in the US, which integrates Gemini's conversational abilities into Google Photos. With Ask Photos, users will be able to ask more specific questions beyond the usual one-word search queries. Since it's a more conversational approach now, a user can search for photos in a more natural-sounding manner. For example, "A red corvette in the driveway" or "Noah's seventh birthday party decorations" will allow Gemini to search for results closer to what you're looking for. This experimental roll-out falls under the Google Labs program, and lets Ask Photos understand the context of a user's photo collection, including events, objects and people, and identify key details to let users search for specific photos easier. Google does assure users that it will adhere to its AI Principles in implementing the feature.

Google Ask Photos: Here's how to use the new AI feature

Google unveiled AI-powered Ask Photos features back in May during the Google I/O 2024 conference, and now the tech giant is rolling out early access to the new feature. For the unversed, Ask Photos utilizes Gemini AI models to search photos using conversational language where the AI is asked to "understand the context of your photo gallery," as Google puts it. Users will be able to search for important people in their life, specific hobbies, or even favorite foods, and Ask Photos will surface information about those specific images. As an example, you can also "ask" questions in the app like "Where did we camp last time we went to Yosemite?" or "What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley?" According to Google, the AI feature "understands details, like where you took photos with your camping gear or what dish is sitting on the table in your picture at the restaurant, to give you the answer." When Ask Photos becomes enabled, it will replace the classic magnifying Search on the bottom search bar in Photos with a new magnifying glass featuring the Gemini star symbled and labeled "Ask." Tapping that allows you to put in your natural language queries. It's meant to mimic a conversation, but you can switch to normal search at any time. The Gemini logo pops up when you use Ask where it will start thinking, searching and reviewing prior to showing request images. If it fails to find what you're searching for, Google says that you'll be able to provide additional clues to help with the search. Google says the feature won't be used for ads and claims that Ask Photos falls under the protection of the company's security measures to safeguard your privacy. "To help us improve Ask Photos, queries may be reviewed by humans, but only after being disconnected from your Google Account to protect your privacy," Google added. "The answers provided by Ask Photos, including your photos and videos, are not reviewed by humans, unless you provide feedback or in rare cases to address abuse or harm." If you're a part of Google Labs where Google tests new AI features in their products, you might get invited to check out Ask Photos early. Otherwise, you'll can sign up for the waitlist to request early access.

Google to let you Ask Photos directly -- No more endless scrolling

Google's new Ask Photos feature is like having a personal photo assistant right in your pocket. Instead of scrolling endlessly through your photo library, you can now ask questions in natural language and let AI do the heavy lifting. Imagine you're trying to find that one photo of your child painting. Instead of hunting through countless images, you simply type or speak your question, and Ask Photos pulls up exactly what you're looking for. Ask Photos is a feature that leverages advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to allow users to search for photos using natural language queries. Instead of relying on traditional keyword searches or manual scrolling through albums, users can simply ask questions about their photos, and the AI will find the relevant images. Ask Photos offers several advanced search features: The power behind Ask Photos comes from Google's Gemini AI, a sophisticated artificial intelligence system. This AI is designed to handle complex data and understand intricate relationships between images. By utilizing Gemini AI, Ask Photos can enhance the search process, recognizing subtle details and connections that traditional search methods might miss, and thereby improving the accuracy and relevance of the search results. Google addressed several key concerns about the new feature: First, Google has assured you that your photo data will not be used for advertising. This means that your images are kept private and are not exploited for commercial purposes. Second, while there may be occasional human reviews to refine the feature, these reviews are conducted in a way that does not link personal data to individual Google accounts. This approach ensures that your privacy is maintained even when the service is being improved. Lastly, your images and the results from Ask Photos remain confidential unless you provide feedback that triggers a review. This ensures that your personal photos are kept secure while still allowing for enhancements based on user input. Currently, Ask Photos is available to select iOS and Android users in the U.S. If you don't have access yet, you can join the waitlist to get early access as the feature rolls out more broadly. If you are eligible to use the Ask Photos feature, follow these steps: If the initial results are not what you expected, you can refine your question or try asking it in a different way to get more accurate results.

Google Photos offers complex search query feature, rolls out Gemini-powered 'Ask Photos' in the U.S.

Google will allow Photos users to add more "descriptive queries" rather than just simple words in order to locate the specific photos and videos they want, per a company blog post. The internet giant will also be rolling out its Gemini AI-powered 'Ask Photos' feature to select users in the U.S. "In addition to getting better results, you can choose whether to sort your search results by date or relevance, helping you find the specific image you're looking for even faster. The improved search experience is rolling out in English to all users on Android and iOS, and will expand to more languages over the coming weeks," posted Google in its blog post. Tech layoffs 2024: Job cuts at Microsoft, Google, Apple, and other firms 'Ask Photos' will let people ask Google questions about their photos, such as locations they visited, food that was eaten, people who were present, etc., apart from pulling together a compilation of thematic photos to share with others or turn into an album. Google said that the launch of 'Ask Photos' would be in line with its AI Principles. Users can sign up for the waitlist to request early access to 'Ask Photos,' said the company. Published - September 06, 2024 12:51 pm IST Read Comments

Google Photos gets new feature to search for images and videos

Google Photos is getting a new feature that will make it easier for users to search for photos and videos. The new search feature in Google Photos will also produce relevant results. Google is also rolling out early access for Ask Photos to select users in the US. This feature is powered by Gemini for a conversational search experience in Google Photos. Google is also rolling out early access of its Gemini-powered 'Ask Photos' feature to select users in the US. It essentially uses AI to understand your photo gallery better and help provide the best search results. Ask Photos provides a conversational search experience so you can ask questions like "Where did we camp last time we went to Yosemite?" or "What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley?" Ask Photos will answer your questions based on the details of your photo gallery. You can continue providing more clues so it's easier for Ask Photos to find the correct photo or video. You can even use this feature to get suggestions for the best photos from a recent event or summarise your recent activities so you can share them with a friend.

Gemini-Powered 'AskPhotos' Feature in Google Photos Now Available Under Early Access - MySmartPrice

The feature will be available on both Android and iOS platforms. Google has started rolling out its Gemini-powered AskPhotos search feature in the Photos app under early access. The feature allows users to search for images and other media on the cloud using contextual questions and AI. It was initially showcased at Google I/O 2024. Here are the details. Google's AskPhotos feature offers a chatbot-style search function for all the images and videos stored on Google Photos. For example, it allows users to make descriptive searches such as: While Google Photos's existing search features are pretty advanced for an image hosting service, the Gemini integration in AskPhotos takes them to the next level. The context-based search allows users to find relevant media even if they do not remember any additional details about the event they are searching for. The feature uses a chatbot user interface and also supports follow-up questions. After completing a search, users can ask Gemini to filter out specific images. The AskPhotos feature conducts searches among all the photos and videos stored on your Google Photos account since its inception. Gemini-powered search in AskPhotos is currently available under early access to some users in the United States. Interested users can sign up for the waitlist from the official website. As per Google's announcements from its I/O 2024 event, the feature is expected to be rolled out globally by the end of this year or early 2025. Google has not revealed whether the feature requires a Gemini AI Premium subscription. Once the public rollout begins, we can expect a limited version to be available for free, with the full version bundled with the paid subscription, just like other premium features of the Google Photos app. Google has also assured users that the data from the AskPhotos feature will not be used for advertising or other internal programs. However, the images and videos stored in Google Photos should not violate the company's abusive content policies.

Google Photos gets an Apple Intelligence-inspired update to help you find your favorite snaps

Google is rolling out an AI feature for its Photos app, enabling users to search for photos in their libraries using the Gemini AI assistant. Currently available as a test for some U.S. users, 'Ask Photos' allows conversational language to be used in order to find photos. In a blog post, Google explained how this feature works. "You can search for specific photos in a natural, descriptive way, like "Alice and me laughing," "Kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains" or "Emma painting in the backyard." But 'Ask Photos' goes further, with the ability to group photos into shared albums and more. "You can ask for suggestions for the best photos from your birthday party for a shared album or for help summarizing the top things you did on your recent trip to share with a friend." More importantly, Google has emphasized privacy regarding this feature. Any photos found or grouped into new albums are not seen by the company, nor will they be used for any other purposes. "To help us improve Ask Photos, queries may be reviewed by humans, but only after being disconnected from your Google Account to protect your privacy. The answers provided by 'Ask Photos', including your photos and videos, are not reviewed by humans, unless you provide feedback or in rare cases to address abuse or harm." If you use Google Photos on the best iPhones and don't yet have access to 'Ask Photos', you can join the waiting list here. If 'Ask Photos' sounds familiar, you're not mistaken. Announced at WWDC in June, Apple's yearly developer conference, Apple Intelligence is the company's endeavor to improve its software suite with AI-powered features. During the keynote, Apple showcased several features within its Photos app, powered by this new technology. One example is 'Clean Up', which lets you remove any unwanted objects in a photo by simply drawing a circle around them. However, it's the search functionality in Apple's Photos app that's very familiar to Google's 'Ask Photos'. Just like Google's version, you can use everyday language in Apple's Photos app in the search bar. For example, typing in "Watching the Spice Girls at Murrayfield" will pull up all media that's relevant to that sentence. Apple says iOS 18.1 will arrive later this year for compatible iPhones, with Apple Intelligence launching first for U.S. users.

Tech tips: How to ask Google to search for your gallery photos to find them quickly

Now you can easily find photos with Google's new 'Ask Photos' feature. Google explained in an official blog that they are planning to make it easier for you to search photos in your gallery. The 'Ask Photos' feature was initially announced during Google's I/O developer conference in May 2024. As of now the feature will be available to selected users in the US as early access. Google introduces 'Ask Photos' So, how does this feature work? With the 'Ask Photos' you can ask to look for a picture in your gallery just by a prompt. You don't need to scroll through your entire gallery, which can be time consuming. For example you ask 'show pictures of my 20th birthday'. Now the 'Ask Photos' will find the photos of your 20th birthday for you. You don't even need to scroll through the gallery. The 'Ask Photos' uses Gemini AI that can understand the context, place and timings of your photo. In addition to this you can also ask to look for pictures on specific prompts. For example in case you are looking for specific details of a specific picture. You just need to prompt the specification (smiling face, sad face) and you will get your picture. Other highlights However, the 'Ask Photos' feature is in early access and will only be available to US users as part of Google Labs. The company explained that they want to make sure that the feature is working well before rolling out to everyone. In addition to this Google claimed that protecting the safety of its users is their top priority. The data used for the new feature will not be shared and is secured. As Google aims to bring AI in all its products, it's constantly coming up with such updates. Just a day before, Google announced that soon you will be able to upload files on the Gemini App for your phone. The company said that it has expanded the usage of its AI assistant Gemini AI for smartphone users. But what does this mean to you? So, with the 'file upload' feature you can upload files directly from your phone within the Gemini app. In addition to this with the new feature users can get an upgrade of its Gemini App for mobile. Furthermore, the 'file upload' feature is available for both iOS and Android users, the company said in an official blog .

Google Photos Opens Early Signups for Ask Photos

Why You Should Keep USB Debugging Enabled on Your Android Phone Google has announced search improvements for the Google Photos service, including early access to its Ask Photos feature to select U.S. users. Google Photos has long used artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize people, pets, objects, places, and more on images. And because search is such an important part of the experience, the company is adding more AI capabilities to enable more descriptive queries instead of just keywords. For example, you can use queries like "Alice and me laughing," "Kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains," or "Emma painting in the backyard" to quickly sift through massive image libraries and find that needle in the haystack. "In addition to getting better results, you can choose whether to sort your search results by date or relevance, helping you find the specific image you're looking for even faster," the company said. The more descriptive search queries are rolling out in English to all Android and iOS users, with support for additional languages due in the coming weeks. Google also confirmed that select Photos users in the U.S. can sign up for early access to Ask Photos via Google Labs by joining the waitlist. Ask Photos will be more broadly available once Google has gathered enough feedback to implement improvements. Announced at Google I/O in May, Ask Photos is a Gemini chatbot built into Photos. Instead of simple searches like "birthday parties" or "sunset," Ask Photos lets you use more natural language in searches to surface all relevant images. A few examples include description queries such as "Remind me what themes we've had for Lena's birthday parties," "Where did we camp last time we went to Yosemite," "What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley," etc. AI analyzes your library to discover useful connections and details, like your favorite foods and the most important people in your life. It can recognize many details in your photos to power descriptive searches. For example, it knows where you snapped those photos with camping gear or what dish you're enjoying in your picture at the restaurant. You can always refine Ask Photos results by tweaking your query to provide extra details. Google ensures your Photos data isn't used for targeted advertising. Humans may review some Ask Photos queries as part of product improvement "but only after being disconnected from your account to protect your privacy." For details, read the Google Photos Help. Source: Google

Google Photos opens waitlist for natural language search with AI

If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy. Apple iPhone users can now join the waitlist for Google's new feature that brings AI-powered, natural language search to Google Photos. Here's how to sign up. The company first announced Ask Photos at its annual I/O conference in May. It's now providing a waitlist to sign up for the feature. Powered by Google's Gemini AI models, it aims to make finding specific memories easier by understanding the context within your photo collection. It helps you rediscover specific moments or locations without scrolling through your gallery. Once enabled, the "Ask" tab appears as the last option in the Google Photos app. The interface is chat-like. If you prefer, you can also switch back to the classic search mode. The system displays its processing steps, cycling through "Thinking," "Searching," and "Reviewing" before delivering results. Users can provide additional clues to refine the results if the search isn't accurate. For example, you can nudge the AI by providing more specific details about the context of the photos you're searching for. The feature also allows for automatic actions, like recommending the best photos from a birthday party for a shared album or summarizing highlights from a recent trip. Google has addressed potential privacy concerns with Ask Photos. The company assures users that their photo data won't be used for advertising. To enhance privacy, any questions that humans review are disconnected from the user's Google Account. Google also states that humans don't review photos and videos unless feedback is provided or, in rare cases, to address potential abuse. To gain access to Ask Photos, users can sign up through Google Labs, where the feature is being tested. It's currently limited to a select group of US users.