Spotify Wrapped isn't the only service offering year-end recaps these days. In addition to year-end reviews from other streamers and social apps, Google Photos is one of the apps that allows users to look back at important moments from the past year. The feature '2024 Recap' features a collection of memories, insights and photos, with the option to add AI captions.
Google says the latter feature is available to some users in the United States. Users who choose to use AI in their photos will be able to add personalized captions to their photos, generated by Google's Gemini AI model. Captions highlight the two biggest moments of the year, like big events, trips, celebrations, and other milestones.
This summary also includes other memories and insights designed to be shared outside of the Photos app and on other social media platforms. This includes personalized metrics about the number of photos, videos, and equivalent footage you've taken in the past year.
Image credit: Google
The challenge with our annual photo round-up is that we don't always take pictures of the good things we want to remember or remember. Sometimes we record difficult moments in our lives. For example, in my case, Google Photos reminded me that my house burned down in March. Google is right that this was an important moment for me in 2024, but I would have preferred to skip those memories.
Others may encounter other difficult memories, such as memories of deceased loved ones or happy memories with ex-lovers. And unfortunately, AI isn't yet at the point where it understands us well enough to know which photos to avoid.
However, if you've had a mostly positive year, a new roundup can be a fun way to reshare your favorite moments with friends and family.
Overview 2024 is currently rolling out to Google Photos. Users receive a notification when the summary is ready. To access the AI captioning feature, Google says to make sure you've opted in to use Gemini on your photos.