Google's Augmented Reality Photo Editing: Features and Concerns

Google's new "Add Me" feature sparks debate on the authenticity of photography and its impact on inclusivity.

### Exploring Google's "Add Me" Feature: A New Era of Photo Editing
* 📸  Google has introduced the "**Add Me**" feature, which utilizes augmented reality to **insert photographers into group photos**, sparking mixed reactions from users during the Pixel 9 event live stream.
* 🤔  Many commenters expressed their discontent, with remarks like "**Just making photos fake for no reason**" and "**As a photographer, I hate you guys**," highlighting concerns about the **authenticity of photography**.
* 🧑‍🤝‍🧑  After experimenting with the feature alongside friends, the author felt reassured, noting that while it may not be perfect, it **promotes inclusivity** by allowing photographers to be **part of special moments**.
* 📷  The process involves taking two photos and blending them, but the results can vary; the author found that **leaving space between subjects** often yields **more realistic outcomes**.
* 🌅  In addition to "Add Me," Google's Magic Editor offers transformative tools, such as **changing backgrounds** and **removing people from photos**, raising concerns about the pursuit of **"perfect" images**.
* 🤖  While these editing features can enhance photos, the author emphasizes the **importance of authenticity**, suggesting that the beauty of photography lies in **capturing genuine moments** rather than artificially constructed ones.
* 📝  As technology continues to evolve, the author reflects on the **ethical implications of using such tools for social media**, acknowledging the ongoing debate about the **authenticity of our online presence**.
* 💬  The "**Add Me**" feature is now available on the Pixel 9 lineup, and the author invites readers to share their thoughts on this and other **reality-bending photography tools** in the comments.

check out this photo. Looks normal, right? Well, guess what, it never happened. Google has a new add me feature that allows you to add the photographer into a group photo with the help of augmented reality, and I had to try it out. Now, I saw your comments during our Pixel 9 event live stream. A bunch of you were not having this feature. Javon Sims said, Just making photos fake for no reason. Fanon said, Yep, let's fake photos even more. Chris Hall said, As a photographer, I hate you guys. Now, strong wording, but I do hear you, and I shared some of your sentiments at first. But let's talk about how I felt after my experiment. I tried add me with my fellow cets AB BR and Faith, and I have to say I wasn't as concerned after I tried it. I have more qualms about whether some of Google's other photo editing tools are allowing us to go too far with getting the perfect photo, but more on that later. Here's how add me works. You take two photos, and they get blended.

together we wanted our final shot to make it seem like a bra, and I had our arms around each other. So, she started by grabbing a picture of faith, and I. We made sure to leave a space for a bra to pose in later, and I held my arm out for her. Then, ABR handed me the phone to take the next photo. Faith and I could leave the frame because there were augmented reality standings of us showing where we were. I used these to position a bra in a way that looked the most like she was in the picture to begin with. She held her arm out for me, and I took the second photo. Then, the phone merged photo one and two to create a single picture with everyone but ad me. Did not layer the images how we had envisioned, which we found very [Music] comical. Okay, so we can't do that. We tried the arm around each other photo a few times, but ad me did not want to seem to make that one happen. So, we kept experimenting. I found that ad me photos

look the most realistic when there's a little bit of space in between each subject like there is here. I think it actually looks like we were all together at the same time. And yes, you can double up with the same person, in this case, it's Faith and her alter ego. Would this image convince you she has a [Music] twin glasses than you? So stupid. After this experiment, I feel less worried about adme. It's not perfect, which is reassuring. That means we can't quote unquote fake every possible scenario, and I do appreciate that this feature allows you to add the photographer into a group photo in the spirit of inclusivity. I think that adme could be a great way for parents who always find themselves behind the camera to be included in those special moments with their kids, for example. But this isn't the only feature driving the debate around whether or not it's a good idea to be able to create photos of moments that didn't actually happen. Google's Magic Editor has a new

reimagine tool that allows you to enter prompts to transform your photo. My colleague Andrew Langen used it to change the background of his selfie to a cool brick wall with a sunset. Magic editor also allows you to remove someone from the background of your photo, and Google has a best take feature that lets you curate a shot where everyone is smiling. These other features do make me a little worried. While adme seems aimed towards inclusivity, these other features seem aimed towards allowing you to create a quote-unquote perfect photo. But doesn't part of the beauty of getting a really good shot lie in the fact that it doesn't happen all the time? Now, these features don't always result in entirely seamless photos. When you look at Andrew's reimagine picture up close, for example, there are little details like the imperfect cutouts around his hair that give away the fact that it was edited. But some photos from the magic editor or best take do look pretty real. Now, don't get me wrong, I like playing

with these features, and I even like posting the photos if I disclose that they were doctored. Right now, you can only tell if they've been edited with AI by checking the metadata on your pixel phone, so it feels disingenuous to me to post them without disclosing that they were edited and just act like I'm capturing these pristine pictures all the time. Now, of course, there are bad actors that could use any of these tools in nefarious ways; those aren't the kinds of situations I'm pondering today because they're obviously bad. I'm addressing the gray area we encounter in everyday life of whether or not we should use these tools to, say, make our Instagram feeds look perfect. But maybe my online presence is already kind of disingenuous because I'm really only posting about my best moments. These are questions I grapple with all the time, and tools like the ones I've mentioned from Google are not going anywhere, so we'll have to continue to grapple with these questions of how comfortable we feel using them, if at all, for years to

come. This is only the beginning. Adme is available on the entire Pixel 9 lineup now, and I'm very curious. What are your thoughts on this feature and other tools that push the bounds of reality in photography? Please let me know in the comments below, and thank you so much for watching.

I Tried Google’s New ‘Add Me’ AR Photo Feature. Should We Be Worried?

CNET is the premier destination for explaining and navigating the changing world around us. Through news, product reviews, price comparisons, and more, we’ll tell you what’s new in the parts of modern life that increasingly matter more — from health, home, and money to tech, culture, and climate — and how to get the most out of them.

CNET

Google's "Add Me" Feature: A Controversial Experiment

Google's new "Add Me" feature uses augmented reality to insert a photographer into group photos, sparking mixed reactions during a live stream.

The feature involves taking two photos and blending them together, but the results can be comical and unpredictable.

The experiment led to a realization that while the feature is controversial, it also offers a unique way to create group photos.

Photo editing tools are creating realistic group photos by adding space between subjects and allowing for duplicate appearances.

Google's Magic Editor offers features like background transformation, removing people from photos, and curating perfect shots, raising concerns about the ethics of creating non-existent moments.

While these tools aim for inclusivity and perfection, they can also blur the line between reality and manipulation in photography.

The author feels conflicted about posting AI-edited photos without disclosing the edits, as it seems disingenuous.

They acknowledge the existence of bad actors using these tools for nefarious purposes but focus on the gray area of using them for personal branding on social media.

The author grapples with the authenticity of their online presence and the ongoing ethical questions surrounding the use of AI tools for photo editing.

Adme is now available on the entire Pixel 9 lineup, sparking curiosity about its impact on photography.

The feature and other tools are pushing the boundaries of reality in image capture.

The creator invites viewers to share their thoughts in the comments.