Google is expanding its Search Generative Experience (SGE) just in time for the holiday shopping season. The company announced on Thursday that its AI-powered search bot can now produce gift ideas, photorealistic images of various product types, and virtual try-ons of men’s tops.
SGE was initially launched in May, offering AI-driven answers and suggestions to complement the search engine’s standard web results. The tool has since been enhanced with added features such as follow-up queries, better translations, and interactive definitions in more complex subjects. In order to access this feature, users must use Google Chrome on desktop or the Google mobile app on smartphones.
To further enhance the user’s experience, Google has announced that 20% of apparel searches are five words or longer, indicating that people often search for specific items when looking for fashion products. Now, SGE is capable of generating “photorealistic images” of the item you’re imagining. Users can even make adjustments to the generated images with follow-up prompts, before SGE uses the resulting output as a foundation to search for similar actual products.
Julie Black, Google’s Director of Shopping Product, wrote in an announcement blog post, “With generative AI in Search, just look for that style and tap the ‘Generate images’ button to see photorealistic, generated images that match your vision. From there, you can refine the images in real time — so if you’d prefer a colorful metallic jacket instead of patterned, just enter that refinement in the text box. Then you’ll see a new set of photorealistic images. Once you’ve found one you like, just scroll down to see similar shoppable products.”
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Furthermore, Google hopes that SGE will assist users in coming up with the perfect gift ideas. For example, if a user searches for “great gifts for home cooks,” SGE can generate ideas organized into subcategories like specialty tools, artisanal ingredients, culinary subscriptions, and cooking classes. Users can even refine their search to be ultra-specific, such as looking for gifts for home cooks who love pasta or gift ideas for a seven-year-old who wants to be an inventor.
Additionally, Google recently added virtual clothing try-ons for women’s tops in June, which has led to “significantly more high-quality interactions from shoppers.” Now, virtual try-ons for men’s tops have been introduced. When searching for women’s or men’s tops from a supported brand, users will see 40 virtual models representing different shapes, sizes, heights, and skin tones. Users can select a model that closely matches their body type or the person they are shopping for to see an AI-powered visualization of how the product may look on them.
For those interested in trying out Google’s Search Generative Experience, they will need to activate SGE for their account. This feature can be found on the Search Labs page or by activating SGE in the Google app by tapping the beaker icon in the upper left corner.
All in all, Google’s expansion of SGE represents a significant step forward in enhancing the online shopping experience for users. The integration of advanced AI technology, photorealistic image generation, and virtual try-ons will make it easier for shoppers to find exactly what they are looking for, while also providing a more immersive and interactive shopping experience overall. This development aligns with Google’s commitment to providing innovative and cutting-edge solutions for its users. As SGE continues to evolve and expand, it has the potential to revolutionize the way people shop online for years to come.
