Google Photos gets an AI boost with Magic Editor
An American tech firm announced at the Google I/O conference a major update for the AI powered photo editor in Google Photos. The new feature is called Magic Editor and it brings artificial intelligence into everyday image tweaks.
Magic Editor lets users adjust and refine photos using smart algorithms. Capabilities include shifting the position of people or objects within a frame, improving the sky, and subtly altering the background to create a more polished result.
In the showcase, a woman stood before a waterfall and the Magic Editor demonstrated several edits. The strap on a bag the photographer forgot to remove could be eliminated, the sky could be brightened and cleared of clouds, and the woman could be nudged to a new spot or scale within the image. A tap on the photo triggers the changes and users can adjust scale as needed.
Another example featured a boy with balloons that barely fit the frame. The AI helped by moving the bench the child sat on, then filling in missing portions of the bench, the balloons, and parts of the background to complete the scene.
Google Photos is poised to roll out Magic Editor in 2023, with exact dates to be announced. This addition aims to streamline common editing tasks, letting users craft tighter compositions without leaving the app.
Notes from industry sources indicate a broader trend toward AI assisted content creation. As AI tools become more capable, platforms are adjusting policies around generated content and ensuring responsible usage. This evolving landscape reflects ongoing developments in both consumer editing and copyright considerations.