Skip to main content

Google adds interactive Knowledge Panels for art, ML used to recognize works in Street View

Google Search is now better at understanding art and surfacing relevant information. In partnership with the Arts & Culture team, there is a new interactive Knowledge Panel, while Street View in museums is using machine learning to recognize paintings.

Working together, both teams have improved how Search understands and recognizes artwork, including knowing the connections between the artists, materials used, their respective art period, and where to visit the artwork in person.

This new interactive Knowledge Panel has three tabs that allow you to see a collection of previous works, as well as the ability to scroll through museums that have them on display. Additionally, some pieces will feature high-resolution images previously captured by Arts & Culture.

Meanwhile, on the heels of its 10th anniversary, Street View will begin recognizing and annotating pieces of artwork right inside Google Maps. This only works in the hundreds of museums that have been captured by Street View.

On desktop and mobile Chrome, the bottom right corner of pieces will feature an information dot. Hovering over it will reveal the name and artist, while tapping will slide out an information panel, as well as an ability to zoom in on the work.

Machine learning — similar to Google Photo’s — is leveraged, with the visual recognition software scanning the walls of participating museums. At the moment, 15,000 works have been identified and captured.

The Street View integration is live starting today, though I have yet to encounter the new interactive Knowledge Cards in Search.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com