Google Now Lets You Generate AI Images Directly From the Search Bar
Those signed up to Labs and its Search Generative Experience (SGE) can now prompt Google’s ubiquitous Search bar to create AI-generated images.
As explained by Engadget, Google’s implementation of generative AI is an extension of its vision of a web search future that is SGE. Instead of just generating responses to what someone would be searching for, it will now do that with images and not just text.
“There are times when you might be looking for a specific image, but you can’t find exactly what you have in mind. Or maybe you have an idea that you need help visualizing,” Google explains. “So beginning today, we’re introducing the ability to create images with our generative AI-powered Search experience (SGE).”
Google Image Search is filled with photos, but very few of them can be deployed for any purpose outside of personal use — photos are owned, after all. With generative AI though, that’s no longer a concern, and the fact it will be baked into the Search bar will make it easy for a lot more people to start using it.
“There are times when you might be looking for a specific image, but you can’t find exactly what you have in mind. Or maybe you have an idea that you need help visualizing,” Google continues. “If you search for something like ‘draw a picture of a capybara wearing a chef’s hat and cooking breakfast,’ SGE will provide up to four generated images in the results.
Those who opted into SGE may also see the option to create AI-generated images directly in Google Images which is designed to appear when a user is looking for inspiration, as seen below.
Google also says that it understands that deploying technology like this widely comes with concerns. To that end, it says it is building safeguards in the experience and blocking the creation of images that run counter to its prohibited user policy for generative AI, including what it deems to be harmful or misleading content.
“We also have an upcoming tool called About this image that will help people easily assess the context and credibility of images. For example, it might show you when a similar version of this image may have first been seen by Google; or show you other pages on the web that use a similar image, including news or fact-checking sites.”
This test isn’t available to the general public yet. To actually gain access to the feature, users will have to be signed up to both Google Labs and SGE. Additionally, it is only available to those in the United States, in the English language, and to those over the age of 18 at this time.
Image credits: Google
