Google gives advertisers new generative AI tools for the holidays

Google is introducing new generative AI capabilities for advertisers in search generative experience (SGE) to mark the start of the holiday season.

The new features include:

• New SGE subcategories.
• Photo search shopping.
• The expansion of its virtual try-on technology.

Why we care. These updates offer fresh opportunities for brands to enhance product visibility and drive potential customers toward making purchases. Advertisers should stay abreast of Google’s latest capabilities to ensure their campaigns are optimized for maximum return on ad spend.

New SGE features. Google is simplifying holiday shopping by offering curated subcategories for specific gift ideas. For example, searching “great gifts for home cooks” will serve a variety of subcategories to explore like specialty tools, artisanal ingredients, culinary subscriptions, and cooking classes. Users can easily browse and purchase products within these categories.

Dig deeper: Here’s what Google’s new AI Search Generative Experience will look like

AI-generated images for shopping. SGE will also soon offer an image generation feature for apparel searches, allowing users to create photorealistic images inspired by their search terms. This AI-powered tool connects with Google’s Shopping Graph, comprising 35 billion listings, enabling users to shop for products based on the generated images and find the desired style.

Next month, Google will introduce the image generation feature for apparel searches on mobile in the U.S. Those already opted into SGE will automatically receive this update. If not opted in, visit Search Labs in the Google app (available on Android and iOS) to access the new capability.

Virtual try-on expansion. Google is expanding its generative AI-powered virtual try-on tool to include men’s tops after observing increased user engagement and interactions with the feature for women’s tops. When searching for “men’s tops” in the Google app or mobile browser (and soon on desktop) in the U.S., users will see results from various brands with a “try-on” icon. This feature allows users to visualize how clothing looks on real models, with a selection of 40 models representing diverse characteristics such as skin tone, body shape, height, and size.