Google Search Goes AI

For the past 25 years, Google Search has evolved through numerous technological advancements. They’ve refined their core information quality systems to help you find the best content on the web, building a knowledge base of billions of facts about people, places, and things. This ensures you receive reliable information instantly. And now, Google Search Goes AI.

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If you experienced it before reading this insight, it might have taken you a bit by surprise.

Generative AI enhances Search beyond what you ever imagined. Whether you’re researching, planning, or brainstorming, Google takes care of the heavy lifting.

This innovation is driven by Google’s new custom Gemini model, which combines multi-step reasoning, planning, and multimodality with Google premier Search systems.

Quick Answers with AI Overviews

For those times when you need quick information without piecing everything together, AI Overviews can help.

Users have already utilized AI Overviews billions of times through Google’s Search Labs experiment. They appreciate the concise topic overviews and links for further learning. Google has observed that AI Overviews increase Search usage and satisfaction.

Starting today, AI Overviews are rolling out to all U.S. users, with plans to reach over a billion people worldwide by the end of the year.

AI Overviews lead users to a broader range of websites for complex questions. The links within these overviews receive more clicks than traditional web listings. As we expand this feature, we’ll focus on driving valuable traffic to publishers and creators. Ads will remain clearly labeled and distinct from organic results. One can only imagine how this might change the world of SEO.

Customizable AI Overviews

Soon, you can customize AI Overviews to simplify the language or provide more detail. This is particularly useful for newcomers to a topic or for simplifying explanations for children.

This feature will be available in Search Labs for English queries in the U.S. soon.

Tackling Complex Questions

With the Gemini model’s multi-step reasoning, AI Overviews can handle complex questions in a single search.

For example, if you’re looking for a yoga or Pilates studio that’s popular with locals, convenient for your commute, and offers new member discounts, you’ll soon be able to ask, “Find the best yoga or Pilates studios in Boston and show me details on their intro offers and walking time from Beacon Hill.”

These capabilities are coming soon to AI Overviews in Search Labs for English queries in the U.S.

Planning Ahead

Beyond answering questions, Search can help with planning.

Search’s planning capabilities assist in creating plans for meals and vacations. For instance, search “create a 3-day meal plan for a group that’s easy to prepare,” and you’ll receive a variety of recipes. You can customize your plan, such as swapping a meal for a vegetarian option, and export it to Docs or Gmail.

Meal and trip planning features are currently available in Search Labs in English in the U.S., with more customization options and categories coming later this year.

Exploring AI-Organized Results

When seeking inspiration, it can be challenging to sift through numerous options. Soon, Search will use generative AI to brainstorm with you, organizing results under unique AI-generated headlines, showcasing diverse perspectives and content types.

This AI-organized results page will be available soon for English searches in the U.S., starting with dining and recipes, followed by movies, music, books, hotels, shopping, and more.

Video Search Assistance

Search is not just limited to text. Often, your questions involve visual elements.

Advancements in video understanding allow you to search using videos. For instance, if you bought a record player at a thrift shop and it’s malfunctioning, searching with a video can save you the effort of describing the issue in words. You’ll receive an AI Overview with troubleshooting steps.

Video search capabilities will be available soon for Search Labs users in English in the U.S., with plans to expand to more regions over time.

This is a glimpse of how Google is reimagining Google Search, blending today’s best features with the advanced capabilities of the Gemini model. Soon, Google will handle the searching, simplifying, researching, planning, brainstorming, and more.