Google is making it easier for users to search their photo library with its new feature “Ask Photos.” Powered by Google’s Gemini AI model, the feature allows users to search for images and videos in their Google Photos using more natural, descriptive language. It’s no longer just about searching for people, pets, or places; now, you can describe specific scenes or moments, and Google Photos will show the most relevant results.

What is the Ask Photos feature?

Ask Photos is an advanced search tool that allows users to interact with their photo library in a more conversational way. It goes beyond the regular keyword-based searches that Google Photos has offered over the years. With Ask Photos, you can ask complex questions or describe scenarios to find specific memories. For example, if you’re looking for a photo of you and a friend laughing at an event, you can simply type or say, “Judy and I laughing,” and the feature will pull up relevant photos. It can also understand more detailed queries like “kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains” or “Emma painting in the backyard.” This makes it much easier to find what you need from a large photo library.

How does this work?

Ask Photos leverages Google’s powerful Gemini AI model to understand the context of your photos and the people, places, or things in them. The feature can recognize the most important people in your life, your favorite hobbies, or special places you’ve visited. You can ask Ask Photos specific questions like “Where did we camp the last time we went to Yosemite?” or “What did we eat at Stanley Hotel?” Based on the details in your photos, it will give you answers. It can help you find the perfect photo by identifying things in a photo like camping gear or dishes on a table.

If the feature doesn’t find the right search on the first try, you can improve it by adding more information. For example, you can specify the time of year or the name of a friend in a photo, and Ask Photos will adjust its search to return better results.

Ask Photos also helps with things like choosing the best photos for a shared album or summarizing a trip. This is especially useful when you have hundreds of photos from an event and want to quickly sort through them to find the highlights.

When will this start?

The new Ask Photos feature is currently in Early Access and is being rolled out to select users in the US as part of Google Labs. Google is taking its time in the rollout to make sure the feature works well before making it available to everyone. If you’re interested in trying it out early, you can sign up for the waitlist. Once Google is confident in the feature’s performance, it will be made available to a wider audience.

As with other Google features, data privacy is a top priority. Google has assured users that their photos and personal information will not be used for advertising purposes. While some queries may be reviewed by a human to help improve the feature, they will be disconnected from your Google account to protect your privacy. The review process is carefully conducted, and Google ensures that human reviews only occur in rare cases or when abuse or harm needs to be addressed.