Google uses AI to improve online shopping

One of the biggest frustrations of online shopping is assessing whether a piece of clothing actually fits. Although some brands hire models with various body types, it is often a matter of guess whether you've chosen the right size. Google has announced that it is rolling out a new way to address this issue using generative artificial intelligence (AI).

How does it work?

Brands that run ads for women's or men's shirts can now show shoppers how the products look on dozens of different real models without taking extra photos. This means that if you type “eyelet crop top” into Google's search engine, for example, you can see an ad with a clickable gallery that shows how the item looks on women with different skin tones and body types.

The technology is intended to give people looking for clothes a better idea of what a shirt will look like on someone who looks like them or the person they're shopping for. Matt Madrigal, Google's Vice President of Merchant Shopping, told WIRED that this feature is an extension of the free virtual pass tool that Google released to brands in organic search results last year.

Benefits for advertisers

The new ad format is one of many new generative AI shopping tools announced at Google's annual event for advertisers, Marketing Live. Over the past year, Google has been experimenting with ways that generative AI could improve its lucrative online advertising business. This company raised $61.7 billion in revenue last quarter, an increase of 13 percent over the same period the year before.

Competition and Innovation

Shopping has become an area of focus for Google as some merchants shift their ad money to Amazon, which saw its ad revenue increase by as much as 24 percent over the same period in 2023 over the same period in 2023. Google is also facing competition from TikTok, as younger consumers are increasingly using the app as a product search engine that can quickly display videos of people who try on and test items for their followers.

One of the new ad formats announced by Google today allows brands to link short videos they've shot - or hired to film - to their ads in Google's search engine. AI-generated text summaries of the clips are included below.

Consumers and AI ads

The pressing question is whether consumers will find AI-generated ads repulsive if they notice them at all. Some fashion brands, including Levi's and the dress maker Selkie, have faced backlash from customers after announcing they were experimenting with artificial intelligence. But for many smaller e-commerce companies, the potential benefits of using AI may outweigh the risks.

Google's use of AI in online ads is an exciting development that offers both challenges and opportunities. As companies experiment with these new technologies, it will be interesting to see how consumers respond and how the market adapts.

‍