Google Photos gets smarter: Descriptive Queries and "Ask Photos" make finding your memories a breeze.
Finding the perfect photo or video in your massive Google Photos library can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Thankfully, Google has just launched a pair of powerful new features designed to make finding those cherished memories a much easier experience. Descriptive Queries, an enhanced search functionality, allows users to search for photos and videos using natural language, while Ask Photos, powered by the advanced AI model Gemini, opens up a whole new way to interact with your photo library.
Descriptive Queries: A more human way to search
Gone are the days of struggling to remember the exact keywords to find that special photo. Descriptive Queries lets you use everyday language to search your Google Photos library. This means you can type questions like "Alice and me laughing" or "Kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains" and Google Photos will understand your intent and deliver relevant results.
The flexibility of Descriptive Queries extends beyond simple keywords. You can use vague language, such as "That photo with the sunset," or "Pictures from our trip to the beach," and the search will adapt to find what you’re looking for. The feature is available to all users on iOS and Android, and works in English at the moment, with support for more languages rolling out in the coming weeks.
Ask Photos: Your AI-powered photo guide
If you’re looking for a truly innovative way to interact with your Google Photos library, Ask Photos is the tool for you. Powered by Google’s Gemini AI, Ask Photos can understand your requests in conversational language and use computer vision to analyze your entire photo library to find the perfect image. This means you can ask questions like "Show me photos from my trip to Paris", "What are the dogs doing in these pictures?", or "Can you find the photo with the red dress?".
Ask Photos is currently available in early access to select users in the US and is part of Google Labs. You can expect Ask Photos to be available to more users later this year. While both Ask Photos and Descriptive Queries offer significant improvements in finding specific photos and videos, there are some key differences to keep in mind:
Descriptive Queries:
- Available to all users.
- Works with basic search terms and natural language.
- Does not require AI processing.
- Does not have to be used in a conversational style.
- Currently supported in English only.
Ask Photos:
- Currently in early access.
- Works with conversational language.
- Requires AI processing of your photo library.
- Is designed to be used in a conversational style.
- Currently available for US users only.
The future of Google Photos: More search, more AI
The continued development of Descriptive Queries and Ask Photos is a clear indication of Google’s commitment to improving the way we interact with our memories. Google Photos is evolving beyond a simple photo storage platform and is becoming a powerful tool for discovering and sharing our moments in new and engaging ways.
By leveraging the power of AI, Google Photos is making searching faster and more meaningful, allowing us to rediscover the stories our photos tell with greater ease and delight. As Gemini and other AI advancements continue to develop, we can expect to see even more innovative features and tools emerging in Google Photos, further blurring the lines between our personal memories and the digital world.
