Google+ Uses Machine Learning To Show Hi-Res Images At Less Bandwidth

It is commonly accepted that hi-res images and videos tend to take up more bandwidth due to their larger file sizes. This means slower loading times, especially for those who might not have stable or fast internet connections, but this is something that Google is looking to change with Google+.

In an announcement on their blog, Google has announced that Google+ will now be able to display hi-res images that consume less bandwidth, thanks to the application of their RAISR technology. “RAISR, which was introduced in November, uses machine learning to produce great quality versions of low-resolution images, allowing you to see beautiful photos as the photographers intended them to be seen. By using RAISR to display some of the large images on Google+, we’ve been able to use up to 75 percent less bandwidth per image we’ve applied it to.”

For those unfamiliar, RAISR was announced by Google last year in November. This is basically image upscaling technology that uses machine learning to transform low-resolution images into higher-resolution copies. The AI tries to determine the best filter to use per pixel that will help result in a high-res copy of the image that looks as close as it can to the original.

As it stands these changes can be viewed when using Google+ on Android devices, but the company expects to roll out the technology more broadly in the coming weeks so that other users can enjoy it as well.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: AI (Artificial Intelligence), Google, Google+