Google launched an updated UI for Google Images, which makes the gallery look more akin to Pinterest. The company also added an artificial intelligence-powered tool to generate images that can be used as the basis for a search.
First, Google Images is rolling out a new format that features “a dynamic, immersive gallery of images from across the web — updated in real time and intelligently tailored to your unique interests,” the company said.
The format seems to replicate the visual style of Pinterest. Google also added a collections option, which is also similar to Pinterest, and lets users save images to dedicated folders, accessible via the image search screen.
As explained by Google: “As you browse and save ideas to your collections, they’ll appear as tabs above the main gallery, making it easy to jump back in and continue exploring based on what inspires you.”
Essentially, Google Images is taking inspiration from Pinterest on two fronts in order to provide more discovery options and enhance image search.
This is no real surprise. Google has been copying Pinterest’s ideas for a long time.
In 2019, Google launched Shopping Ads, which replicated a format Pinterest already had available at the time. Google also updated Image Search to emulate a Pinterest format. In 2020, Google launched a separate app called Keen that also mirrored many of Pinterest’s functions.
Meanwhile, Pinterest recruited a former Google exec as its CEO in 2022. It seems that Pinterest’s focus on building its own visual discovery engine rankled Google’s top brass, so much so that Google focused on diluting any possibility that Pinterest could cut into any search engine market share.
This is probably not working the way Google might have hoped. Pinterest is now up to 631 million monthly active users, and continues to rise as a key tool for product discovery.
The platform’s growth is a sticking point for Google, and the search engine may be trying to reduce Pinterest’s relevance by replicating its UI.
In addition to the Google Images revamp, Google also announced an AI-powered image generation feature within Search, which will let users generate an image that they can then use as a basis for discovery.
Google said this new feature will allow searchers to bring their unique ideas to life.
“Using our latest Nano Banana model, this update transforms a simple text prompt into a high-quality, custom visual made completely from scratch, seamlessly bridging the gap between imagination and reality,” Google said.
This could be a handy complement to Google discovery because it incorporates an element of creativity, and allows users to avoid having to come up with a text description of a visual concept.
Google said its updated Google Image display format will be rolled out to U.S.-based users over the coming weeks, beginning on desktop. Meanwhile, image generation within AI Overviews will roll out over the coming weeks in English in all regions that currently support image creation in AI Mode.
