Google continuously expands its use of AI across its products, and Google Photos is no exception. At the Google I/O event in May, a new AI-powered feature called Ask Photos was announced, and it is now rolling out to select users in the U.S. as part of an Early Access program. This feature brings an advanced way to interact with your photo gallery, making retrieving specific memories and discovering details about your life easier. Check the below steps to join early access to Ask Photos.
What is Ask Photos?
Ask Photos is an AI-driven feature within Google Photos that uses Google’s latest Gemini models to understand the context of your photo library. It goes beyond simple search, recognizing patterns like important people, hobbies, favorite foods, and events. Whether you’re trying to find a specific photo or learn more about a moment in time, Ask Photos can surface relevant details effortlessly.
You can ask it to show photos of your last vacation with friends, and it will filter your gallery accordingly. This personalized experience makes it much easier to navigate vast photo libraries by understanding the context behind your images.
Here are some real-life examples of how Ask Photos works, instead of scrolling endlessly through your gallery, you could simply ask:
- “Where did we camp last time we went to Yosemite?”
- “What did we eat at the hotel in Stanley?”
Ask Photos is smart enough to identify key details in your pictures — like your camping gear in Yosemite or the dish on the table in a restaurant photo — to provide you with accurate answers.
How to Join Early Access to Ask Photos
The Early Access to Ask Photos is currently available only to select U.S. users through Google Labs, where Google tests experimental features. If you’re excited to try out Ask Photos, you can join the waitlist through Google Labs. Here’s how to join the waitlist for Ask Photos:
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- Visit the Google Labs page on your device.
- Under the experimental features, look for Ask Photos.
- Click Join the Waitlist and enter your email address.
- Once you’re on the waitlist, you’ll either receive an email when you gain access or you can check the Google Photos app regularly to see if the feature becomes available for you.
By joining the waitlist, you’ll be among the first to experience this groundbreaking AI feature!
Why Should You Try Ask Photos?
The primary advantage of Ask Photos lies in its contextual understanding of your images. Instead of relying on basic search terms, Ask Photos can process the relationships between people, places, and events in your gallery. This leads to faster, more accurate retrieval of memories and personalized insights into your life.
Here are a few scenarios where Ask Photos can shine:
- Find memories quickly: Instead of scrolling through thousands of photos, ask for images related to an event or person, and the AI will find them instantly.
- Discover new insights: Curious about patterns in your photo-taking habits? Ask Photos can highlight key moments or trends, helping you learn more about your life.
- Enhanced search experience: With Ask Photos, the search feature in Google Photos becomes much more robust, helping you save time and enjoy a seamless experience.
Final Thoughts
Ask Photos is part of Google’s continuous effort to integrate advanced AI features into everyday experiences. This experimental feature is still in Early Access, so not everyone will have the opportunity to use it just yet. However, for those lucky enough to gain access, it offers a powerful new tool to organize and discover memories more intuitively and efficiently.
Keep an eye on your inbox for an invitation, and be sure to check Google Labs to see if you can join the Early Access of Ask Photos today!
