Google Photos is gearing up to expand its controversial AI-powered search tool, “Ask,” right into your most cherished memories, as per Android Authority. It looks like the company is planning to bring this AI functionality to the “stories,” or Moments albums, after introducing the much-anticipated Calling Cards feature.
This move marks Google doubling down on a feature that has already caused some serious user frustration since its debut. The current version of Ask replaced the tried-and-tested classic search bar, and many people have complained that the AI doesn’t work nearly as well as the old tool. Now, it seems Google is preparing to integrate this system even deeper into your photo library.
We’re talking about an internal look at the Android app, specifically version 7.59. Digging into the code revealed a snippet that clearly hints at this new integration. The code contains two different references to the term “askinstories,” which is pretty definitive about the intent here. The code also uses the word “prototype,” which is important to note. That suggests this is likely an early experiment or an internal test.
If this feature does roll out, Ask functionality within Moments would let you ask questions about the specific album you’re viewing
For example, let’s say you’re looking at a Moment titled “Vacation 2023.” You could ask the AI to find every photo in your library where you’re wearing a specific blue hat, or every picture of a certain dog that appears in those trip photos. This feature could be useful if you come across a specific theme or subject in a showcased album and want to quickly find more examples in your entire library.
I actually think that kind of focused, cross-library search power is genuinely useful, especially since Google Photos contains years of data for many of us. However, Google really needs to polish up the existing Ask tool before shoving it into our precious photo albums!
This expansion comes on the heels of significant user backlash. Google introduced the original Ask feature back in 2024, and it immediately ruffled feathers by replacing the standard, reliable search field. Users were really riled up because the AI function simply doesn’t work as well as the old bar. It’s truly awful when a company replaces a perfect tool with a broken one, forcing users to rely on an AI that misses obvious results.
Thankfully, if you’re experiencing this headache, there’s a quick way to turn that annoying Ask button off for now.
Published: Jan 14, 2026 02:30 pm