Google is set to reintroduce its artificial intelligence tool for generating images of people, the company announced on Wednesday. This decision comes after Google temporarily discontinued the service in February following several controversies over the accuracy of its outputs.
The AI tool, known as Imagen 3, will be integrated into the Gemini platform and will initially be accessible to Gemini Advanced, Business, and Enterprise users in English.
Dave Citron, a senior director of product at Gemini, stated that Google has enhanced the technology and refined its evaluation methods, including conducting red-teaming exercises to test for vulnerabilities.
Earlier this year, Google halted the feature after it inaccurately rendered historical images, sparking widespread criticism on social media.
For example, a request for an image of a German soldier from 1943 resulted in a racially diverse group in German uniforms, and a query for a medieval British king produced images including a female ruler.
The updated Imagen 3 will exclude the creation of photorealistic identifiable individuals, depictions of minors, or images that are overly violent, gory, or sexual.
Citron emphasized that while not every generated image might be perfect, Google is committed to continuously improving the tool based on user feedback. The rollout will be gradual, aiming to expand availability to more users and languages.