You can now create AI images with text in Search thanks to Google Search Generative Experience

If you’re not yet familiar with artificial intelligence-created images using nothing but text, it’s a real thing. In fact, it’s taking the world by storm right now, and while I know how important the ethics concerns tied to these tools are, I have to admit they’re getting really impressive. While Bing was one of the first one to the AI image game, Google just announced it’s throwing its hat into the ring.

In a new Keyword Blog post today, the tech giant announced that its Search Generative Experience (SGE) will now be able to do just that. You type in a simple text prompt (let your imagination run wild!), and get inspired with AI art that’s created on the fly using your words. It will generate four unique images, and you can try again if you don’t like the results.

For Chromebook owners who can’t access Bing’s image creator, since it’s relegated just and only to Edge, Google adding the same feature right into the standard Google Search bar is genius. In fact, I’d love to see in the future when more Bard-style tech comes to ChromeOS (and it is), users being able to type ideas into their Chromebook launcher and see AI art returned. It truly feels like while Chromebooks started out as a laughing stock ten years ago, they’re now in a dominant position to take advantage of the tech of the future, and that future is here now.

For the record, each AI-generated image in Search will carry a distinct watermark and metadata label, ensuring it’s never mistaken as an original creation by a human. Additionally, an upcoming feature titled “About this image” aims to bolster the credibility check for these images, providing context and authenticity at a glance – something we spoke about a while back!

Another neat trick is the new ‘Create something new’ feature baked directly into Google Images. As you can see in the GIF Above, clicking the blue ‘Generate’ button will pop open a sidebar that uses the same AI tech to create brand new images for inspiration. I’m actually stoked about this as a game developer and artist.

Anyway, I know that not everyone is on board with AI art, and I certainly do think it needs better regulation for artists like myself who it’s trained on, but I’m against the notion that because something is new, it should be shunned or avoided. Instead, I think we should pour our energy into the checks and balances, and ethical development of this tech so we can still benefit from it. In fact, innovation can’t be stopped, even if it means our destruction, so being a part of the team that sits this out is doing no one any good.