Back at I/O 2024, Google announced a new Ask Photos feature for Google Photos. With Ask Photos, you can employ Google’s Gemini AI to search your Google Photos library using text prompts in a conversational manner. You won’t have to think of the right keywords, making Google Photos easier and better than before.
Nearly four months later, Google is ready to deliver its new AI-powered Ask Photos feature. The company announced on Thursday that Ask Photos is rolling out to US users, who will be able to ask Gemini when looking for images and videos. Google is also improving traditional searches in Google Search that do not involve Gemini.
If you thought searching for people and places was already easy in Google Photos, you’re about to be surprised. As you’ll see in the examples below, Google Photos search now lets you take things to the next level. You’ll be able to use natural language to search your photos and videos, which I think is one of the best ways to take advantage of genAI right now.
Here are some of the prompts you’ll be able to use with Gemini in Google Photos, according to Google:
- “Alice and me laughing”
- “Kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains”
- “Emma painting in the backyard”
This isn’t even Ask Photos. It’s just Google improving search in Google Photos. The feature will be available in English initially, rolling out to the Android and iPhone versions of the app.
Add Gemini to Google Photos search and you get the superior Ask Photos experience. However, Google is careful to describe it as an experimental feature that will be available via Google Labs to US users.
Gemini powers the new Ask Photos feature, which helps the app understand the context of your photo gallery much better. As Google explains, Ask Photos will determine “the most important people in your life, hobbies or favorite foods.” It is able to “pull out relevant details to help you find specific memories and uncover information about your life.”
Here are some of the prompts examples you’ll be able to use with Ask Photos:
- “Where did we camp last time we went to Yosemite?”
- “What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley?”
These are the kinds of complex questions you might ask a person with whom you share common memories. That’s essentially what you’re doing here. You’re sharing your memories with Gemini, which can perform these searches in Google Photos.
Google says that Ask Photos will let you tweak your prompt if Gemini can’t figure out the answer immediately.
As you can see in these examples, you can always switch back to classic search if Ask Photos isn’t good enough.
You’ll need to go to this link to request access to Ask Photos for your Google account.
Apple will offer a similar feature to Ask Photos in Apple Intelligence on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. However, Apple Intelligence will take a while to roll out, and Apple’s AI suite requires compatible hardware.
What about your privacy?
As much as I like features like Ask Photos, I wouldn’t use them as long as I don’t know what happens with my data. Photos and videos are in the extremely private data department if you ask me. I wouldn’t want any of them to be uploaded to Google’s Gemini servers to get answers to those Ask Photos questions.
Google says in the blog that Google Photos data will not be used for ad targeting. However, some of your queries might be viewed by humans after being disconnected from your Google Account. However, the answers that Ask Photos provided will not be reviewed by humans unless you provide feedback or “in rare cases to address abuse or harm.” Keep this support document handy for additional privacy questions.
