Google for India 2024: Google India on Thursday introduced a slew of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools for small and mid-sized businesses to strengthen their digital customer engagement and online presence. Announced at the Google for India event, the new tools available in Products Studio in Google Merchant Center include an Image-to-Video Animation solution that allows businesses to transform photos into videos.
“Businesses can even create visuals that match their unique brand style by uploading an image that represents their aesthetic,” Google India said in a company blog.
Moreover, restaurants can convert their menu photos into formatted online menus and by linking their social accounts through their Google Business Profile, restaurants can also showcase deals from their social media posts, alongside deals from Zomato, Swiggy, EazyDiner, and MagicPin.
Google announced chat options for businesses to connect with customers via SMS or WhatsApp from their search listings. The company said India is one of the first markets where it will roll this out with a select set of merchants, and will later expand to all businesses in the coming months.
Speaking on the AI tools, Roma Datta Chobey, Managing Director, Google India said, “With new AI-powered tools, businesses can create captivating visuals and videos to showcase their products, update their online presence for a more immersive experience, and effectively engage customers with instant chat integrated in their Google Search listings.”
Google also announced support on the credit side for small businesses. The company said it has partnered with gold loan NBFC Muthoot Finance to allow SMBs access gold-backed loans from the payment app Google Pay.
“A few years back we decided to train 1 million SMBs on digital skills, today we connect over 35 million businesses to almost a billion customers every month,” said Hema Budaraju, Senior Director, Product Management, Google.