Google Photos gets AI makeover with free AI-powered editing tools previously limited to Google One subscription

Google has just rolled out a massive upgrade to its Google Photos platform. The tech giant announced on Wednesday that it is rolling out a suite of cutting-edge AI-powered editing tools for free to all Google Photos users at no cost. This move marks a significant expansion of features previously reserved for Pixel devices and paid subscribers, catapulting Google Photos into a new era of photo editing accessibility.

Among the standout features in this groundbreaking upgrade are the highly anticipated Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Portrait Light. These tools harness the power of artificial intelligence to empower users to effortlessly perform tasks like removing unwanted objects, sharpening blurry photos, and adjusting lighting post-capture.

The rollout is slated to commence on May 15th, 2024, and could take several weeks to reach all users. According to Google’s official blog post, the Magic Editor will be available to eligible users on Android and iOS platforms, offering a seamless editing experience driven by generative AI.

“Starting May 15, 2024, Magic Editor will become available on Android and iOS to more Google Photos users, helping you to make complex edits in an intuitive way leveraging generative AI,” Google said in a blog post.

However, there’s a catch: users will be limited to 10 saves per month with the Magic Editor. Beyond this quota, users will need to upgrade to a Premium Google One plan with 2 TB of storage or higher or own a Pixel device to continue saving edits made using the Magic Editor.

In addition to the Magic Editor, Google is making a slew of other editing features accessible to all users starting May 15th, 2024. The complete range of features includes Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Sky suggestions, Color pop, HDR effects for both photos and videos, Portrait Blur, Portrait Light (along with additional lighting adjustment options), Cinematic Photos, Styles in the Collage Editor, and Video Effects.

3. Photo Unblur

Blurry shots are a thing of the past!

AI sharpens those fuzzy photos, rescuing precious memories. pic.twitter.com/iSwrTa1zHU

— Madni Aghadi (@hey_madni) April 14, 2024

These features will gradually roll out to compatible devices over the coming months, ensuring widespread adoption of advanced editing capabilities across the Google Photos ecosystem.

Historically, Google’s editing tools have been a key selling point for its flagship Pixel phones and a value-added feature for Google One subscribers. However, with the proliferation of AI-powered editing tools in the market, Google has made a strategic decision to level the playing field by making its suite of AI photo editing features available to a broader audience for free. This move underscores Google’s commitment to innovation and accessibility in digital photography. Stay tuned as Google continues to revolutionize the way we capture and edit our precious moments.