Google has fixed its “Ask Photos” AI search feature after hearing users’ complaints about slow performance. The improved version now combines Google’s regular search with AI, giving faster results while keeping the smart features that make AI search helpful.
Before this change, Google Photos let users find pictures by typing simple words like “beach,” “dogs,” or people’s names. This worked well for basic searches but fell short when trying to find specific memories with detailed descriptions.
Google first showed off “Ask Photos” at its I/O conference in 2024. The feature promised to transform photo searching by understanding natural language. Users could ask questions like “What did I eat in Barcelona?” or “Find photos of my dog at the beach last summer.”
But when people started using it, problems appeared. Jamie Aspinall, Google Photos product manager, admitted in early June 2025 that “Ask Photos isn’t where it needs to be, in terms of latency, quality and UX.” Google temporarily stopped the rollout to make improvements.
The biggest problem was speed. The AI search was much slower than classic search, especially for simple questions. Users didn’t like waiting for the AI to process their request when the old search could show results almost instantly.
Google’s fix brings together the best parts of both systems. Now, when you search in Google Photos, you immediately see results from the classic search while the Gemini AI works behind the scenes on more complex aspects. This gives quick results for simple searches while still offering advanced features for complicated requests.
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For example, if you search “white dog,” photos matching those words appear right away. After the AI finishes analyzing, more results appear with helpful information that might identify your dog by name and show when pictures of your pet first showed up in your collection.
To use this improved feature, you need to: be 18 or older, have your account language set to English (US), and turn on Face Groups, which labels people and pets in your photo library. If you prefer the old way, Google still allows you to switch to classic search or disable the AI feature completely in the settings.
The better Ask Photos is now available to more eligible users in the United States. Google says they’ll keep improving it based on what users tell them. This combined approach solves a basic problem with AI tools: people want both smart features and instant results, and Google’s solution tries to deliver both.
By combining classic search with AI, Google Photos now offers a more user-friendly experience that blends speed with intelligence, making it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for in your growing photo collection.
