While Google cannot directly "read" the content within images, it relies on image metadata to understand their content for SEO purposes. Alt text is crucial as it provides a brief description of the image for search engines to comprehend its context. Additionally, properly naming your images with clear and concise clues about their content can further aid Google in determining their relevance and improving their visibility in search results. So, although Google cannot decipher image content like humans do, optimizing image metadata remains essential for effective SEO.