TL;DR:
- Google introduces generative AI product imagery tools for US advertisers.
- The AI-powered Product Studio allows for free, text-to-image AI image creation.
- It enables tasks like background color changes and advanced scene requests.
- The generative AI model enhances low-quality images and removes distractions.
- Businesses can create professional images without recurring photoshoot expenses.
- Available to all Merchant Center Next users in the US and Google/YouTube app on Shopify.
- Google also introduced a “small business” attribute for Google Search and Maps.
- The enhanced knowledge panel offers more information to customers searching for merchants.
Main AI News:
In a strategic move following Amazon’s recent foray into generative AI for advertisers, Google is stepping up its game by introducing a suite of state-of-the-art generative AI product imagery tools for advertisers in the United States. Dubbed the AI-powered Product Studio, this innovative offering empowers merchants and advertisers to harness the power of text-to-image AI capabilities, facilitating the effortless creation of captivating product imagery, all at no cost, simply by providing a textual prompt describing the desired image.
This groundbreaking feature caters to a wide range of needs, from simple tasks such as altering the background color behind product images or creating a uniform backdrop to more advanced requests, like situating a product in a specific scene. For instance, a skincare company could now request seasonal imagery, such as a product “surrounded by peaches with tropical plants in the background.” In the winter season, the same company could opt for an image of the product “resting on snow amid pine branches or pinecones.”
Notably, the generative AI model is also adept at enhancing low-quality images without necessitating a reshoot and excels in eliminating distracting backgrounds, as affirmed by Google.
By granting businesses of all sizes access to AI-powered imagery capabilities, Google is facilitating the creation of professional-grade images to accompany advertisements, all without the need for recurrent and expensive photography sessions. This feature is poised to serve as a valuable augmentation to existing product photography assets, enabling businesses to repurpose their visuals across diverse campaigns, whether seasonal in nature or aligned with specific themes, without displacing their initial photoshoot investments.
This innovative offering is available to all users of Merchant Center Next in the United States, as well as within the Google and YouTube app on Shopify. The rollout of this feature commences today.
Google’s commitment to enhancing the merchant experience extends beyond AI-powered imagery tools. The company is also introducing a “small business” attribute for Google Search and Maps, allowing customers to identify brands that have identified themselves as small businesses. Google will automatically add this attribute to select listings based on factors like product offerings and web traffic. However, businesses retain the flexibility to set or remove this attribute from their Merchant Center or Business Profile at their discretion.
Furthermore, Google is enhancing the knowledge panel, providing customers with more comprehensive information when searching for merchant names on Search. In addition to business headquarters and employee count, the panel will now include details such as ongoing deals, shipping and return policies, customer service information, and ratings and reviews. This augmented information, sourced from authoritative web data, is set to enrich the user experience. Google notes that in 2022, the knowledge panel facilitated over 2.3 billion connections to US businesses each month, encompassing calls, directions, bookings, and reviews.
Source: Google
Conclusion:
Google’s new generative AI tools are poised to disrupt the market by providing advertisers with a cost-effective solution for creating captivating product imagery. This innovation enables businesses of all sizes to enhance their visual assets and streamline their advertising efforts, ultimately improving their competitiveness in the market. Additionally, the introduction of the “small business” attribute and the enriched knowledge panel further enhances the merchant-customer interaction, creating a more informative and engaging experience for consumers.
