Google has introduced two generative AI features for bulk image enhancement aimed at ecommerce: one within Google Ads and another in the Merchant Center (MC). Both tools facilitate faster bulk image improvements but may not fully meet the needs of businesses managing large product catalogs.
Google Ads Manager: Bulk Image Edits
This feature, accessible via the AI image editor in the Assets Library, allows AI-based enhancements on up to 100 images at once. Users can select images from the Asset Library, file uploads, or linked Merchant Center accounts. It offers two AI-powered editing options:
- Replace background
- Add new object
Users provide prompts for the AI to generate edits, and images can be regenerated individually. Edited images can then be used in Google Ads campaigns. The feature is user-friendly but has limited utility for those who rarely need bulk editing, and importantly, edited images cannot be sent back to the Merchant Center.
Merchant Center: Generated for You (GfU)
This feature, first mentioned in an interview with Ginny Marvin, uses AI to enhance product images by adding matching backgrounds and increasing resolution. The system automatically selects certain products from the feed and proposes enhanced images for review, but users cannot choose which products are improved. For example, out of 2,700 products, only 8 suggestions were made.
GfU offers three options for the generated images:
- Add to Merchant Center as the main product image
- Download for use on other platforms or as additional images in MC
- Edit via the Generate Scene screen to adjust prompts
Each image proposal has an expiration date and will be removed if not approved in time. While the generated images were generally liked, the lack of control over product selection limits usefulness for businesses with many products.
Both tools enable more efficient bulk image generation with AI directly within Google's platforms and at no extra cost. However, neither fully meets the ideal needs for large-scale product image management. The preferred tool would allow users to select multiple products in Merchant Center, choose specific enhancements (like Generate Scene, Remove Background, Increase Resolution), review the images, and apply changes directly to selected products. Such functionality would better support businesses in improving product imagery at scale.
