Google is weaving generative AI into online shopping features

Aiming to leapfrog e-commerce sites like Amazon.com Inc., Google is bringing generative AI technology to shopping.

The Alphabet Inc-owned company on Wednesday announced features aimed at helping people understand how apparel will fit them, regardless of their body size, and will use its search and image-recognition technology. Added the ability to search for products using . Additionally, Google introduced new ways to research travel destinations and map routes, using generative AI-technology that can generate text, images or even videos from simple gestures.

“We want to make Google the place for consumers to shop, as well as the place for merchants to connect with consumers,” said Maria Renz, Google’s vice president of commerce, in an interview prior to the announcement. “We have always been committed to an open ecosystem and a healthy web, and this is one way where we are bringing this technology to merchants.”

Google is the world’s dominant search engine, but according to research firm CivicScience, 46% of respondents to a survey of US shoppers conducted last year said they still started their product searches and research on Amazon. CivicScience research found that TikTok is also making inroads—18% of Gen Z online shoppers turn to the platform first. Google is taking note with some of its new, AI-powered shopping exploration features aimed at attracting a younger audience.

A new virtual “try-on” feature launching Wednesday will let people see how clothes fit a variety of body types, from sizes XXS to 4XL. The apparel will be overlaid on top of images of various models captured by the company while developing the capability.

Google said it was able to launch such a service because of a new image-based AI model it developed internally, and the company is releasing a new research paper detailing its work with the announcement. . Clothing illustration focuses on how the fabric stretches and wrinkle as it is worn to create lifelike images. The try-on feature will debut with women’s tops in partnership with retailers like Anthropologie and Everlane, followed by men’s clothing.

The company also said it would start pulling in more sources of information as people test its new “Search Generative Experience” — a service that Google first announced at its I/O developers conference last month. For now, the offering is only available through the company’s experimental Search Labs product.

Google previously announced that it was using a variety of web-based sources to display AI-generated information, for example, the best hotels for families or the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers at a particular vacation destination. Now it’s also adding in user reviews for its AI model to draw on.

The company is also making new changes to existing features on Google Maps. The immersive view, which uses AI to show people 3D tours of landmarks, is rolling out in four new cities: Amsterdam and Dublin, as well as Florence and Venice in Italy. Google is expanding its collection of landmarks available on Immersive View to more than 500 — on both the iOS and Android apps — joining destinations like the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Prague Castle.

Meanwhile, Viewable Directions will let people see turn-by-turn directions for walking, bicycling and driving modes from their phone lock screen. Google said people will also be able to see updated ETAs as they follow their routes in real time. The feature is rolling out globally in June.

Some AI features on Google Lens—the image-recognition app that uses a phone camera to identify objects and text—have been around for a while, like finding the name of a local dish by taking a picture of it while traveling . But on Wednesday, Google said it is launching the ability for users to discover skin conditions using the app.

The company said that after a user takes a picture of a rash or skin bump, Lens will find visual matches to the image that can help inform people’s searches. Google said the feature is a starting point for research, not certified medical advice.

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