Panicked Android owners fear new Google ‘Add Me’ AI feature that puts you in group photos when you weren’t even there
GOOGLE is developing an AI feature that adds people to group photos – making it look like they were there the whole time.
The tool appeared in a leaked advertisement that was swiftly removed after “violating YouTube‘s Terms of Service.”
A leaked advertisement for the upcoming Google Pixel 9 showcases a tool that adds people into photographs, aptly named “Add Me”[/caption]However, The U.S. Sun accessed an archived version of the ad, which racked up thousands of views in a matter of hours.
The ad depicts a woman using a Pixel 9 to take a picture of two friends in front of a van.
The photographer then trades spots with her friends. A faint impression of their bodies remains even after they walk away.
The feature then blends the two shots, resulting in an image that shows all three women posing together.
Other features displayed in the leaked advertisement include Gemini, Google’s AI-powered virtual assistant.
A user snaps a photo of the meager ingredients in her fridge and asks the AI what to make for dinner.
Another tool, Pixel Screenshots, uses AI to comb through a library of screen captures.
It appears to be a play on Microsoft Recall, which was met with so much backlash that its release was postponed indefinitely.
The video was among a rash of leaked advertisements posted to YouTube last week.
Another ad uploaded on July 26 showcases an upgraded Magic Editor that replaces the background of a photo using a text prompt.
Google already boasts an extensive roster of editing tools powered by artificial intelligence.
Last year, the tech behemoth launched Magic Eraser, which allows users to remove elements from a photo.
Another feature, Best Take, lets Pixel users swap out someone’s face for a different take.
While some Pixel fans were optimistic about the latest AI-charged editing tool, others were less enthusiastic.
Google has already unleashed an extensive roster of artificial intelligence tools including its AI-powered virtual assistant, Gemini[/caption]“Call me a boomer but I don’t like the normalization of everyone completely photoshopping all their photos,” one Reddit user wrote.
“It just makes the photos feel dull and lifeless, especially the Best Take feature,” a Redditor added.
Another user lamented that the tool was just another “software gimmick.”
Google Pixel phones – a timeline
Here are the key dates...
- Google Pixel / XL – October 20, 2016
- Google Pixel 2 / XL – October 17, 2017
- Google Pixel 3 / XL – October 18, 2018
- Google Pixel 3a / XL – May 15, 2019
- Google Pixel 4 / XL – October 23, 2019
- Google Pixel 4a – August 20, 2020
- Google Pixel 4a (5G) – November 5, 2020
- Google Pixel 5 – October 15, 2020
- Google Pixel 5a – August 26, 2021
- Google Pixel 6 / Pro – October 28, 2021
- Google Pixel 6a – July 21, 2022
- Google Pixel 7 / Pro – October 13, 2022
- Google Pixel 7a – May 10, 2023
- Google Pixel Fold – June 20, 2023
- Google Pixel 8 / Pro – October 12, 2023
The Pixel 9 series is slated to debut on August 13, following months of buildup and countless leaks.
Google unveiled the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold earlier this month, offering a glimpse of the design and display for the first time.
The exact specifications will remain under wraps until next month.