Google on Thursday announced two revolutionary AI tools that it claims would make online searches “radically more helpful”.
Google first teased the new AI features earlier this week, during Samsung’s Unpacked. The Korean smartphone brand’s upcoming Galaxy S24 line-up (more about it below) will come integrated with Google’s new AI-powered search features.
The features will also be available on certain other high-end smartphones, such as Google’s own Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro from January 31 onwards.
How Will Google’s New AI-Powered Search Features Work? — A Quick Look
Among the two upcoming search features, the first one is called Circle to Search. As obvious by the name, this tool essentially allows users to tap, highlight, circle, or scribble on text, videos, or pictures on their smartphone’s display to learn more about the displayed items.
For instance, a user could use it to search for a landmark in the background of a picture on someone’s social media page.
The other feature is an enhancement of Lens — Google’s search-by-image feature on Android phones.
“We’ve only just scratched the surface of what’s possible”, Google stated in a press release.
And guess what? You can now learn about the world around you by using your smartphone cameras, thanks to Google’s image recognition technology. Simply point the phone’s camera at something or upload a picture or screenshot to search.
Plus, you can ask specific questions about the items in the picture using the Google app.
To explain its utility, Google shared an example of using the tool to learn how to play an unfamiliar game found at a yard sale.
Google has made several upgrades to its search functions over the years, including the introduction of features such as Google Lens and Search by Voice.
However, despite the huge advancements it has made, including the two latest AI tools, Google believes that it still has a long way to go.
The company also mentioned that it has been quietly testing the potential of generative AI in personalizing search experiences since last year.
Samsung’s S24 Line-up to Offer an AI-Packed Experience
The AI bandwagon is not limited to Google. Samsung is also giving its smartphones a major AI boost, integrating the Galaxy S24, S24 Ultra, and S24+ with a host of advanced AI features.
In addition to the new AI-powered search features by Google, the S24 line-up is also getting a host of live-translate tools capable of translating conversations in real-time.
You can now get translated transcriptions of conversations in a split-screen view while standing next to someone. Additionally, Samsung’s keyboard would be able to translate messages in real-time in 13 languages.
Samsung is also enhancing its camera system by adding AI-backed features and other upgrades.
If you’re a fan of photography, you’ll love the phone’s enhanced night photography capabilities. Plus, the AI-powered Edit Suggestion tool will help you make subtle changes to photos. Think of moving an object or a person slightly to the side, fixing crooked shots, and more.
Samsung also added that while using generative AI to alter or generate a picture, its devices will be adding a watermark both on the image and the metadata.
