# Google Lens Advances with Video Search: A New Phase in AI-Driven Search
In the swiftly advancing realm of artificial intelligence (AI), Google persistently expands the limits of our interaction with technology. During **Google I/O 2024**, the tech powerhouse revealed a revolutionary feature for **Google Lens**: the capability to conduct web searches via videos. This enhancement signifies a notable progress in how we access information, merging visual recognition with AI-fueled search functionalities.
## What is Google Lens?
For those who are not acquainted, **Google Lens** is an AI-enhanced tool that empowers users to search the web using the camera on their smartphone. First introduced in 2017, Google Lens has evolved into a robust instrument for visual search. Users can aim their camera at various entities, sites, flora, fauna, or even text, and Google Lens delivers pertinent information based on its visual interpretation.
In recent times, Google has upgraded Lens with **multisearch** features, enabling users to blend text and images for more intricate queries. For instance, you can snap a picture of a dress and ask Google to locate it in a different hue. This multisearch capability has already demonstrated its potential, but Google’s latest advancement elevates things to a completely new extent.
## Presenting Video Search with Google Lens
At **Google I/O 2024**, Google unveiled the feature of video searching in Google Lens. This innovation enables users to capture short videos of their environment or objects of interest and subsequently search the web for associated information. This represents a major enhancement from previous image-driven search abilities, promoting more dynamic and contextually rich queries.
### How Does It Function?
As illustrated by tech specialist **Mishaal Rahman** on X (formerly Twitter), the procedure is straightforward and user-friendly. Users can launch the Google Lens app on their Android device, press and hold the shutter button to film a brief video, and then pose questions to Google concerning the video content. For example, Rahman captured a video of a smartwatch and inquired Google for additional information regarding it. The app provided relevant insights, demonstrating the seamless combination of video, voice, and AI.
This functionality proves particularly beneficial in situations where a single photograph might not suffice to capture adequate detail or context. For instance, if you’re attempting to identify a moving entity, like a bird in motion, or desire a 360-degree view of a product, video search offers a more thorough method to gather data.
### AI-Driven Insights
The video search feature is powered by **Google’s Gemini AI**, which has garnered attention for its ability to process and comprehend multimodal inputs (text, images, and now video). The AI evaluates the video content in real-time, delivering users relevant search outcomes, product suggestions, or even AI-produced summaries, depending on the inquiry.
This marks a significant advancement in AI’s capability to interpret and respond to intricate, real-world inputs. While **ChatGPT** and similar AI models are currently restricted to text-based engagements, Google Lens’ video search introduces fresh opportunities for AI interaction in our daily routines.
## The Distinction Between Google Lens Video Search and Project Astra
It’s crucial to clarify that Google Lens’ video search functionality should not be mistaken for **Project Astra**, another exciting development revealed at Google I/O 2024. While both features revolve around AI and visual recognition, they fulfill different roles.
**Project Astra** represents a substantial upgrade for **Gemini**, Google’s AI framework, enabling it to “observe” through your phone’s camera in real-time. This capability allows Gemini to deliver immediate feedback and recommendations based on your surroundings. For example, if you’re navigating through a museum, Project Astra could present real-time information regarding the exhibits you’re examining, eliminating the need for manual searches.
Conversely, Google Lens’ video search is centered on capturing a specific moment or object in video format and subsequently querying Google for supplementary information. Although both features utilize AI and visual recognition, Project Astra emphasizes real-time engagement, whereas Google Lens video search focuses on queries made after capturing footage.
## The Significance of Video Search in the AI Era
The introduction of video search within Google Lens signifies the rising significance of **multimodal AI** in our daily existence. As AI becomes more entrenched in our devices, the capability to engage with it using various forms of input—text, images, voice, and now video—will increasingly matter.
Here are several reasons why video search is transformative:
1. **Improved Context**: Videos offer more context than static images. For example, if you’re attempting to identify a product, a video can showcase multiple angles, lighting variations, and even demonstrate how the product operates, providing Google with more information to analyze.
2. **Moving Objects**: Capturing certain objects or scenes in a single image can be challenging.
