Google has just enhanced its Photos app with new AI-powered features, addressing user concerns and improving functionality. The company initially rolled out the "Ask Photos" feature last fall, allowing users to query their photo library in natural language. For example, you could ask, "Where was that restaurant we ate at in San Francisco?" or "Show me all the selfies I took in NYC museums," and the app would generate the relevant images. It even supported open-ended questions like "Which of my photos would make the best phone background?" However, the initial rollout faced significant issues. Users reported that the feature often failed to find the correct photos and, when it did, the process was unacceptably slow. These complaints prompted Google to temporarily halt the feature's expansion three weeks ago. A Google project manager acknowledged, "Ask Photos isn't where it needs to be." In response to the feedback, Google has refined the feature. According to a recent blog post, the company has integrated the strengths of the classic search function into Ask Photos and made substantial improvements to latency. Simple searches like "beach" or "pizza" should now return results instantly, while more complex queries will continue to run in the background, using the advanced capabilities of Gemini, Google's latest AI model. Sabrina Ortiz, a ZDNET Senior Editor, had previously tested Ask Photos in February and experienced similar issues, concluding that "'Ask Photos' actually made Google Photos worse." But with these updates, Google is confident that the feature now meets users' expectations. If you prefer to stick with the classic search, the quick toggle to revert has been removed, but you can still opt out of Ask Photos completely. To do this, tap your profile picture in the upper right-hand corner of the Google Photos app, navigate to Settings, then Preferences, and finally Gemini features in Google Photos. There, you'll find the "Search with Ask Photos" toggle; simply turn it off to return to the traditional search method. These enhancements reflect Google's commitment to integrating cutting-edge AI into its product suite while ensuring that user experience remains a priority. As the competition in AI-driven photo apps intensifies, Google aims to stay at the forefront by continuously refining and improving its features. Stay tuned for more updates in the tech world with our daily newsletter, Tech Today, where you can get the morning's top stories delivered straight to your inbox.