Facebook is preparing a “visual search” technology for Instagram as it continues to put in extensive efforts in immersive technologies like augmented reality and artificial intelligence that will be the strength for the way we buy online.
On Instagram, Purchasing starts with visual discovery. Everytime people go through the app and see thumb-stopping inspiration, which becomes a takeoff line for the buying trip. This year, Facebook is running a new visual search in Instagram, strengthened by AI that will allow buyers freely find items on Instagram.
Visual search allows people discover similar items – like floral print dresses – just by clicking on an photo of a dress they love. In the future, Facebook hopes to make it feasible for people to take images from their camera to start a visual search. While it’s still new, Facebook believes visual search will improve mobile purchasing by making even small pellets of media on Instagram possible to shop.
What is Visual Search?
Visual search uses real-world images (screenshots, Internet images, or photographs) as the stimuli for online searches.
Modern visual search technology uses AI (artificial intelligence) to understand the content and context of these images and return a list of related results.
It has a host of applications in the eCommerce industry, particularly for fashion and home decor retailers.
