Google is implementing generative AI technology into the world of online shopping, taking a leap beyond e-commerce giants like Amazon. The tech company announced new features that leverage its generative AI technology to help users better understand how apparel will fit them and enable more effective product discovery through its search and image-recognition technology.
This novel tool allows users to virtually “try on” clothes from hundreds of brands by exhibiting them on models of various sizes and skin colors. Currently, customers in the United States can virtually “try on” women’s tops, with images of real models ranging from XXS to 3XL wearing AI-generated versions of clothes from hundreds of brands, including the likes of Anthropologie, Everlane, and H&M. Users can scroll through and select different body types or skin tones and see how clothes might drape on their own body. When they find a model that closely resembles them, they can save it to be their default model.
Google has trained the AI tool using images of real models and its Shopping Graph. During the model photo shoot, the company identified their size according to the sizing charts across several brands. The tool matches photos of the models wearing shirts in different poses and generates images of that shirt from other angles. This is achieved by taking images of the clothing from the merchant and fusing them with images of Google’s model via generative diffusion models to produce multiple, diverse images of the clothing.
When users search for shirts, they’ll see a “Try On” badge next to applicable clothing items. Clicking that opens up a list of models to scroll through. All 40 female models are included for every shirt, allowing users to see multiple models for each size. This feature proves particularly helpful since two people can wear the same size but be shaped differently, causing clothes to look very different on each of them.
Within this new shopping experience, users can see guided refinements. For instance, if users are looking at a shirt on the model they’ve selected, but want a version that’s more affordable, or like the shape but want it in a different color or pattern, they can select a few options from dropdown menus and Google will output similar options. However, this feature will only work within Google Shopping. If users find an item they like, they’ll have to do a Google search for it to see if it’s available.