Google has expanded its Google Lens AI-powered capabilities to bolster the in-store customer shopping experience, the company has announced.

Google Lens' new AI feature allows US users to receive product information for the store they are in by taking a photo to find product information, similar products in stock, competitive prices, and shopper reviews.

The update comes after Google announced major advances in its AI recognition technology which is powered by Google's real-time Google Shopping Graph dataset of 45 billion product listings and in-stock inventory data from a range of retailers and Gemini models.

The AI feature is available in the Google app for Android and iOS for users in the US who have opted in to sharing their precise location.

Customers can use the tool on beauty products, toys or electronics at stores that share their local inventory with Google.

According to Google, Lens is currently used for nearly 20 billion visual searches per month, 20 per cent of which are focused on shopping.

Data from the tech giant reveals that 72 per cent of Americans use their smartphone while shopping in-store, while more than half said they’ve left a store empty-handed because they didn’t feel confident enough to buy.

Other features currently available on Google Lens include text recognition, smart text selection and homework help.

Earlier this week, Google Pay announced new partnerships with Klarna and Afterpay, as the mobile payment service seeks to expand its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) offering in the US.

BNPL firm Afterpay said on Wednesday that its payment functionality will be available for consumers checking out online through Google Pay at select merchants. 

Similarly, starting from 2025, Google Pay users in the US will also be able to choose Klarna’s interest-free payment options at checkout.

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