Google decides to discontinue the availability of its AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ search feature. The company paused the feature after receiving complaints from users. The reason behind this feature’s arrival was to make photo searching easy with questions.
But issues like slow speed and poor results were reported. Google saw some issues within the feature and is planning to push it soon. Users can expect an improved version in two weeks.
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Key Takeaways:
- Google stops the arrival of “Ask Photos” due to speed, quality, as well as user-reported issues.
- The AI tool used Gemini to help users find photos using natural questions.
- An improved version is expected in two weeks with better performance.
Why Google Stopped the Ask Photos Rollout
Google planned a smart feature inside its Photos app. It was renamed to “Ask Photos,” which uses Gemini AI. It lets users search their pictures by asking questions. Google pushed it at a normal pace since last fall.
Soon, complaints began to appear from some users. Many said the tool was slow and not very useful. One user said it gave fewer benefits than a normal search. Another said the results took more time to appear.
Google responded through its product manager, Jamie Aspinall. He added that the feature was not delivering as they had planned. The main problems were latency, quality, and user experience. Google admitted it needs to improve all three areas.
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A special Gemini model powers the feature. It was trained to handle image details and answer queries. But users found the AI not fast or accurate enough.
Due to this, Google paused the rollout quietly with only a limited number of people. The company wants to fix the issues before the mass rollout. We can expect its release again in a couple of weeks.
How the Ask Photos Feature Was Meant to Work
Ask Photos is an AI tool built into Google Photos. It was first announced during the Google I/O 2024 event. The goal was to let users ask simple questions. It would then show matching photos from their library.
You could ask things like “Show me my birthday party photos.” Or “What food did we eat on our Goa trip?” The AI would find pictures based on location and objects. It could even read image text and captions.
The technology behind it was Gemini’s multimodal model. This AI can understand images, text, and context easily. It reads photo filenames, tags, and even objects in pictures. Then it gives a helpful response using best-matching photos.
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This made photo searching easier than ever before. Instead of typing keywords, you could ask full questions. It was like you own a human assistant dedicated to your photo library.
But despite the idea, the performance didn’t match the promises. People who were testing it did not find it fast or helpful. This forced Google to halt its release temporarily.
User Complaints and Google’s Fix Plan
The issue came into focus after public complaints online. One long-time user shared a bad experience on X (Twitter). The user found the feature slow and less reliable. Another user said they disabled it through settings.
In reply, Jamie Aspinall posted about the current status. He confirmed the rollout had stopped at small numbers. He promised a better version will launch very soon.
If users want to turn it off, they can. Go to Google Photos settings and tap on Preferences. Under Gemini features, turn off “Search with Ask Photos.”
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Google also improved its keyword search feature recently. So we can use quotes to find accurate text. This works for captions, filenames, and even camera models.
This is not Google’s first paused AI rollout. Last year, it paused “AI Overview” for wrong answers. It also paused image generation tools for historical errors.
The End Note
Google decides to discontinue the availability of its AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ search feature. The tool had exciting features, but failed in use. Google accepted feedback and paused the launch quietly.
A better and faster version is expected in two weeks. Users can still use basic search or turn off Ask Photos. The final version may meet earlier expectations.
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