That’s the vision that head of research Liz Reid presented on stage at Google I/O on Tuesday.
Google unveiled an AI-enhanced version of search, with plenty of promises.
Google demos showed how Search can now find yoga studios in your city with introductory deals, create meal plans for a family of picky eaters, and even troubleshoot what’s wrong with your record player and suggest solutions simply by viewing the video you take on your phone.
It’s a radical change in the functionality of the world’s largest search engine, as Google attempts to take the lead in the AI race that is captivating tech companies.
In many ways, the new search box works like a Gemini box: with AI-generated answers that you can talk to like a chatbot.
Rolling out today in the United States, AI Overviews will use “multi-step reasoning” to answer complex questions in a single search, Reid said.
“Searches that might have taken you minutes or hours, Google can now perform on your behalf in just seconds.”
Google’s Gemini-based search features can even make suggestions they didn’t ask about. For example, a query for a restaurant recommendation for a party might return results showing live music or rooftop availability.
These types of AI-curated searches will soon be available in categories such as movies, music, books, hotels and stores, Reid said.
Google’s new vision for search is not only a major shake-up for its own future, it could also transform how the Internet works more generally.
Much of the architecture of the Internet is designed around business models that use SEO to drive visits and advertising dollars. Turning search into a chatbot can affect how traffic is distributed.
After all, why click on a link when Google Search can now summarize the information you need?
But Reid appeared to address concerns that the changes could lead to fewer visits to the website in a company blog post.
“We find that links included in AI previews generate more clicks than if the page had appeared as a traditional web listing for that query,” she wrote. “As we expand this experience, we will continue to focus on sending valuable traffic to publishers and creators.”
Google has long dominated the search landscape, but its latest advances come amid increased competition from OpenAI.
On Monday, the AI giant unveiled GPT-4o, its next flagship AI big language model with enhanced voice and visual capabilities.
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