Google is launching new AI capabilities to improve the online shopping experience, making it more realistic and inclusive for the consumer.
The idea is that this new tool will help users find clothes using models with different skin tones and body types and also refine the search until they find exactly what they want.”
Google Shopping users in the United States have already been given the option to test this feature on the platform. Initially, only women's tops from a selection of brands such as H&M, Anthropologie, Everlane and Loft will be available for the virtual experience.
These models are available in a variety of skin tones, ethnicities, hair types and body shapes, and are realistically depicted using real human models. The other men's and women's clothing items will be available later this year, Google said.
Virtual “fitting room” with a variety of skin tones and body types
According to Google's Chief Product Officer, Lilian nigeria whatsapp data Ricon, the idea behind this feature is to make consumers feel confident about buying clothes online, avoiding disappointment and allowing the user to more accurately visualize how the clothes will look on their body before even buying them.
According to Google, 42% of online shoppers don't feel represented by images of models, and 51% feel dissatisfied with an item they purchased online because it looked different than expected.
The virtual try-on uses a diffusion-based generative AI model, which is trained by adding Gaussian noise to an image (essentially random pixels) that the model learns to remove to generate realistic images. This allows Google’s AI model to represent people more realistically, regardless of the angle or pose they’re in.
Refine a product and find what you really want
Google has also launched a feature that helps you find items based on other options you’ve tried on. For example, do you like a blouse but want a cheaper version? Or do you find a pair of jeans but want a different pattern? In this Google-created refinement, shoppers can adjust products until they find the perfect piece.
This is thanks to machine learning and new visual matching algorithms, allowing you to refine parts using inputs such as color, style, and pattern. This feature is also available to beginners, directly from product listings.
The Future of AI
What we previously only saw in movies – like Clueless with the protagonist Cher's virtual closet – has become more than real and now AI technology is present in many moments of our day.
With this boom in the use of Artificial Intelligence in everyday life, concerns about its regulation have also become a point of discussion. The EU, for example, approved a bill this week to regulate AI.
One of the points raised during the discussion of the bill was the prohibition of the use of real-time facial recognition in public spaces, except in cases of criminal activity and with judicial authorization. It is possible that other countries will also begin to create this type of law aimed at the use of Artificial Intelligence as a way to regulate the market and protect consumer rights.