Google Will Now Let You Virtually Try on Clothes With Just a Selfie

The pace of AI technology is so rapid, it's tough to keep up with everything. At Google I/O back in May, Google rolled out an AI-powered shopping feature that let you virtually try on clothes you find online. All you needed to do was upload a full-length photo of yourself, and Google's AI would be to dress you up in whatever article of clothing you liked. I still can't decide whether the feature sounds useful, creepy, or a little bit of both.

Google's virtual try on feature only needs a selfie to work

What I can say, however, is that the feature is getting a little creepier. On Thursday, Google announced an update to its virtual try on feature, that takes advantage of the company's new AI image model, Nano Banana. Now, you don't need a full-length photo of yourself: just a selfie. With solely a photo of your face, Nano Banana will generate a full-length avatar in your likeness, which you can use to virtually try on your clothes.

I'm not exactly sure who this particular update is for: Maybe there are some of us out there who want to use this virtual try-on feature, but don't have a full-length photo of ourselves to share. Personally, I wouldn't really want to send Google my photo—selfie or otherwise—but I don't think I'd prefer to have Google infer what I look like from a photo of my face alone. I'd rather just send it the full photo, and give it something to actually work off of.

Here's the other issue: While Google asks you to only upload images of yourself, it doesn't stop you if you upload an image of someone else. Talk about creepy: You can upload someone else's selfie and see how they look in various clothes. There is a system in place to stop you from uploading certain selfies, like celebrities, children, or otherwise "unsafe" items, but if the system fails, this feature could be used maliciously. I feel like Google could get around this by verifying the selfie against your Google Account, since you need to be signed in to use the feature anyway.

How to upload a selfie to Google's virtual try on feature

If you are interested in trying the feature out—and, subsequently, trying on virtual clothes with your AI-generated avatar—you can head over to Google's try on feature, sign into your Google Account, and upload your selfie. When it processes, you choose one of four avatars, each dressed in a different fit, to proceed. Once through, you can virtually try on any clothes you see in the feed.

Again, I see the potential usefulness of a feature that lets you see what you might look like in a certain piece of clothing before buying it. But, at the same time, I think I'd rather just order the item and try it on in the comfort (and privacy) of my own home.