Google’s AI Mode Brings Photo Support for New Visual Search Capabilities
Google’s AI Mode Brings Photo Support for New Visual Search Capabilities
By Srishty Kumari | Updated Apr 8, 2025, 6:59 PM IST
Google is introducing a multimodal search feature to AI Mode. Its Google Search experiment lets users ask complex, multi-part questions and follow-ups to dig deeper into a topic. Users with access to AI Mode can now tap the feature to ask questions about any photos uploaded or taken with their camera.
Google’s AI Mode is expanding with new features as the company has integrated Lens image search capabilities. Thanks to this new integration, users may now take advantage of multimodal input for whatever they want from the AI, with the renowned image search feature analysing taken or uploaded images.
Alongside this, Google is expanding AI Mode's availability among testers, with the service now opening its doors to more free users who are enrolled in the program to experience the technology first-hand.
“AI Mode builds on our years of work on visual search and takes it a step further,” says Robby Stein, VP of product for Google Search. “With Gemini’s multimodal capabilities, AI Mode can understand the entire scene in an image, including the context of how objects relate to one another and their unique materials, colors, shapes, and arrangements.”
Also Read: Best Smartphones Under 25,000 for Gaming, Camera, and More
For instance, a user could upload a photo of a bookshelf and ask for similar books based on the titles visible. AI Mode can identify the books, conduct relevant searches, and offer recommendations with direct links for more information. This multimodal approach allows follow-up questions, enabling a more conversational and exploratory search process.
Google highlights that early feedback on AI Mode has been positive, with users appreciating its ability to handle complex queries and provide nuanced responses. Integrating photo support marks a step further in making search more visual and interactive, changing how users seek information and understand the world around them. This feature is currently accessible through the Google app on Android and iOS for users who have opted into the AI Mode experiment in Search Labs.
Alongside this, Google is expanding AI Mode's availability among testers, with the service now opening its doors to more free users who are enrolled in the program to experience the technology first-hand.
“AI Mode builds on our years of work on visual search and takes it a step further,” says Robby Stein, VP of product for Google Search. “With Gemini’s multimodal capabilities, AI Mode can understand the entire scene in an image, including the context of how objects relate to one another and their unique materials, colors, shapes, and arrangements.”
Also Read: Best Smartphones Under 25,000 for Gaming, Camera, and More
For instance, a user could upload a photo of a bookshelf and ask for similar books based on the titles visible. AI Mode can identify the books, conduct relevant searches, and offer recommendations with direct links for more information. This multimodal approach allows follow-up questions, enabling a more conversational and exploratory search process.
Google highlights that early feedback on AI Mode has been positive, with users appreciating its ability to handle complex queries and provide nuanced responses. Integrating photo support marks a step further in making search more visual and interactive, changing how users seek information and understand the world around them. This feature is currently accessible through the Google app on Android and iOS for users who have opted into the AI Mode experiment in Search Labs.