Tech giant Google has provided further details about its forthcoming Remix feature in the Photos app, which uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to convert ordinary images into artistic creations. Initially announced in July, the feature is expected to become available to Android and iOS users in the United States in the coming weeks.
Artistic styles and sharing
The Remix function allows users to choose a photo from their gallery and apply a range of artistic styles, including 3D animation, anime, comic book, and sketch. Once processed, these transformed images can be shared in the same manner as any regular photograph. The tool is integrated within the Google Photos app but functions separately from the app’s default photo editor.
How to use remix
To use the feature, users need to open the Google Photos app and tap the ‘Create’ button at the top-right corner of the screen, followed by selecting ‘Remix’. After tapping ‘Try now’, an artistic style can be chosen before selecting the photo to be edited. The ‘Generate’ button applies the chosen style, producing a reimagined version of the image. Users can then save the edited photo or share it directly via the app.
Additional options include ‘Regenerate’, which allows users to create varied results using the same style, and ‘Change photo’, which permits editing a different image without exiting the feature. Google has emphasised that the feature is experimental, and the output may not always closely match the original photograph.
Recommendations for best results
For best results, it is recommended that users select well-lit, focused, or front-facing portrait photos featuring one or a few subjects.
The Remix feature is introduced alongside Google’s photo-to-video tool, powered by Veo 2, marking an extension of the app’s AI-driven capabilities and providing users with more ways to experiment creatively with their images.
