Revolutionizing Advertising: Google Introduces Generative AI for Product Imagery

• Google
• Generative AI

Photo from a Blog.Google

Hot on the heels of Amazon's recent adoption of generative AI for advertisers, Google is now launching a set of generative AI tools explicitly aimed at product imagery for advertisers based in the United States. Through the new, AI-powered Product Studio, merchants and advertisers can leverage text-to-image AI capabilities to create new product imagery for free by simply typing in a prompt of the image they want to use.

"The only limit to AI is human imagination."

Unleashing Creativity with AI

This new feature can handle simple tasks, such as changing the background color behind product images or rendering the background solid. But its capabilities extend far beyond these basic functions. It can be used for more advanced tasks, like requesting a product be shown in a specific scene. For instance, a skincare company may ask for seasonal imagery by typing a prompt like "a product surrounded by peaches with tropical plants in the background." With the advent of winter, the same company could request an image of the product "sitting on snow surrounded by pine branches or pinecones."

AI: A Tool for Improving Quality and Efficiency

In addition to its creative capabilities, the generative AI model can also help to improve low-quality images without requiring a reshoot and can remove distracting backgrounds, according to Google. This means businesses of all sizes can create professional photos alongside their ads without the need for repeated new photography sessions. Google anticipates that the feature will augment existing product photography, allowing businesses to reuse their assets across different campaigns, such as seasonal efforts or those centered around a specific theme, without necessarily replacing the initial photoshoot.

The feature is being made available to all Merchant Center Next users in the U.S. and on the Google and YouTube app on Shopify, with the rollout starting today.

Additional Features for Merchants

Besides the AI feature, Google also launched new additions for merchants, including a "small business" attribute for Google Search and Maps. This attribute will make it easier for customers to identify brands that consider themselves small businesses. Google said it will automatically add this attribute to some listings based on factors like the number of products they offer or the amount of web traffic they see. However, businesses also have the option to set or remove the attribute at any time from the Merchant Center or their Business Profile.

Enhancing the Shopping Experience

Google also plans to provide more information to shoppers through the knowledge panel when customers search for merchant names. This panel previously shared information like the location of the business’s HQ or the number of employees. It will also show data like current deals, shipping and return policies, customer service information, and ratings and reviews. Google said that this panel has helped drive over 2.3 billion connections to U.S. businesses per month in 2022, including calls, requests for directions, bookings, and reviews.

With the introduction of Product Studio and the enhancement of other features, Google continues to drive innovation in the field of advertising, making the most of AI technology to offer better experiences for merchants and customers.