After pushing pause on the launch of its "Ask Photos” feature in Google Photos due to unresolved bugs, Google has now updated the AI aspect of the feature to deliver faster search results. This feature, which was showcased at the previous Google's I/O developer conference, allows you to effortlessly browse through your digital photo album using everyday language. Powered by Google's Gemini, 'Ask Photos' comprehends the content of the picture and all related metadata to respond to your search.

However, there were grumbles from users about the feature’s unreliability and the lagging response time while waiting for the AI to "think".

Listening to these user feedbacks, Jamie Aspinall, Google Photos product manager, mentioned on X earlier in June that the 'Ask Photos' feature isn't up to par. He highlighted that the speed, quality, and user experience of the current iteration needed improvement, prompting Google to halt the rollout temporarily to enhance these aspects.

Image Source: Google

In a recent blog update, Google revealed that it has merged the good old Photos’ search feature into 'Ask Photos'. This integration is designed to enhance simple searches like “beach” or “dogs” to return results more swiftly, just like the classic search did.

The improved AI meanwhile, resolves background tasks, fetching relevant photos, and resolving more complex search queries. For example, if you're on the hunt for a picture of a “white dog,” you will see initial search results almost instantly. Once the AI is done analyzing, its results will be displayed subsequently, potentially including text indicating your dog's name (if you've added it)

You still have the option to use the classic search if that's what you prefer.

With these improvements, Google has now recommenced the release of the 'Ask Photos' feature to a broader audience in the U.S.

To be qualified to use 'Ask Photos', you must be at least 18 years old, have your account language set to English, and must enable Face Groups, a feature that tags the people and pets in your Google Photos library.