Google It is expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities to help consumers shop for gifts during the holiday season.
Starting November 16, Google will update its Generative Search Experience (SGE), which brings generative AI capabilities to search, to help customers shop.
Google is also expanding its virtual try-on tool to include men’s T-shirts. The feature to create realistic images of what you’re shopping for will also be available in December.
“This is the first holiday season where generative AI is part of a larger cultural conversation,” Julie Black, Google’s shopping product manager, told USA TODAY.
What is a generative research experience?
The generative search experience is different from regular Google search because it uses artificial intelligence technology in the search. It’s a feature that consumers can sign up for in Search Labs on the Google app, Google Home, or on the Chrome desktop.
Starting November 16, the experience will be upgraded to include shopping. Consumers can enter search terms like “great gifts for home cooks” to see results for products to buy or experiences like cooking classes, Black said.
“Through our research, we found that 28% of people find it difficult to shop for others during the holidays because they don’t know where to shop,” Black said.
She said the search will also include articles from publishers for consumers to read more about the topic or product.
To subscribe, go to goo.gle/sge-gifts
Try clothes that flatter almost a variety of body types
Black said that Google launched a virtual try-on option earlier this year for women’s shirts, but is now working to expand it to include men’s shirts.
“Innovative AI has created opportunities to help bring the traditional fitting room to life and help you understand how a piece of clothing will look on you,” Black said.
She said Google research found that 80% of online clothing shoppers are more likely to buy a piece of clothing online if they feel confident about how it will look.
Starting November 16, the virtual try-on experience expands to include men’s T-shirts bearing the try-on symbol at brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Banana Republic, and J. Crew, and Under Armour. The photo library of male and female virtual models ranges from x-small to 4XL and represents a variety of body types, ethnicities, hair types and skin colors, Black said.
Realistic images coming in December
Another new feature, coming in December, will use artificial intelligence to create photorealistic images using words placed in the search tool to find products based on those images.
The search will be integrated with 35 billion shopping lists on Google.
“It allows me to visually explore the product space quickly and frequently and more easily transition from what I have in mind to what’s in my cart,” Black said.
Betty Lynn Fisher is the consumer correspondent for USA TODAY. Contact her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Google is expanding the use of artificial intelligence to help with holiday shopping. Here’s how
