Google Ask Photos AI Feature Blocked in Texas and Illinois Google has confirmed that its Ask Photos feature, powered by the Gemini AI, is currently unavailable for users in Texas and Illinois. The company also stated that the related Conversational Editing tool for Google Photos is similarly missing in those states. In a statement, Google said, “The ability to ask Photos to edit your images is not available to users in Texas and Illinois at this time. We are working to determine how to make Ask Photos available to more users.” The company did not provide a specific reason for the geographic restriction. Industry observers and reports point to recent, massive lawsuit settlements as the likely cause. In 2022, Google settled an Illinois class-action lawsuit for 200 million dollars over data privacy concerns related to Google Photos. More recently, the company settled a case with Texas for a staggering 1.4 billion dollars over allegations it collected user data without proper consent. A common thread in both legal actions was the issue of biometric data collection. This connection is significant because the now-blocked AI features, Ask Photos and Conversational Editing, require users to have the “face grouping” feature enabled. Face grouping uses automated facial recognition technology to sort pictures of the same person. The core legal problem arises from state laws, like the Biometric Information Privacy Act in Illinois, which mandate informed consent before collecting biometric data. A key complication is that while the person taking photos agrees to Google’s terms and conditions, the many individuals who appear in those photos typically do not. This creates a complex legal situation that appears to have prompted Google to temporarily withhold these features rather than risk further legal challenges. The Ask Photos feature allows users to type or speak natural language questions about their photo library. Examples include asking, “What are all the cities I visited last year?” or “Show me the best photo from each national park I’ve visited.” The AI then scans the library to find and present the relevant information and images. Conversational Editing, which launched with the Pixel 10 series and later expanded to other Android phones, enables users to edit their pictures using voice or text commands. Google is now tasked with finding a way to navigate the strict biometric data privacy laws in these states if it hopes to offer its advanced photo AI tools to all US users.
