Google has begun rolling out early access to Ask Photos, a new Gemini-powered feature for conversational image search, announced at Google I/O in May 2024.
Improved Image and Video Search
Ask Photos allows users to search for images and videos using natural language. Instead of precise keywords, you can describe photos in everyday terms, such as “Alice and me laughing” or “Kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains.”
You can also filter results by date or relevance to find images more efficiently.
How Ask Photos Works
Ask Photos, powered by Gemini, understands the context of your photo collection—such as important people, hobbies, or favorite foods.
This helps you find specific memories or details about your life. For instance, you can ask, “Where did we camp last time at Yosemite?” or “What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley?”
- Interactive Queries: The tool can identify relevant photos and provide the information you seek. It also supports interactive queries, allowing you to refine your search with additional details.
- Task Assistance: Ask Photos can assist with tasks like suggesting the best photos from an event for a shared album or summarizing highlights from a recent trip.
This functionality enhances the existing Google Photos search feature, which is used by nearly half a billion people monthly, according to Google.
User Privacy and Data Security
Google emphasizes its commitment to user privacy and data protection. Photos and data are not used for ads and are secured with industry-leading measures.
- While queries may be reviewed by humans to improve the service, this review process is conducted separately from user accounts to ensure privacy.
- Ask Photos itself does not involve human review of your photos unless feedback is provided or in rare cases of addressing abuse.
Availability
The improved search experience for Google Photos is now being rolled out in English for Android and iOS users, with plans to add more languages in the near future.
Early access to Ask Photos is currently available to U.S. users through Google Labs, and you can join the waitlist to request access.