Google Revolutionizes Search Experience with AI Summaries & Highlights
Google has once again demonstrated its commitment to revolutionizing the AI landscape with the introduction of AI-generated summaries and highlights in its search features. While many may think of ChatGPT when it comes to AI, Google is making significant advancements in the field as well. The company constantly iterates on its AI products, and recent upgrades to both its AI chatbot Bard and AI music generator have further solidified its position.
The latest offering from Google is the integration of generative AI in Search (SGE) that provides users with intelligent summaries complete with bullet points, images, videos, and citations from trusted sources. Just three months ago, Google launched this feature, and a recent update has enhanced it even further. Not only has the process become faster, but Google has also added extra media and publication dates to its cited sources. Additionally, users now have the ability to define words in the AI summary, and Google has added more context when displaying generated code.
Exploring this feature is both fun and informative. When users search for something, along with the usual search results, they will see a question asking if they would like an AI-powered overview for the search. If users choose to generate the summary, Google’s AI kicks into action. In case the summary lacks context or users have further questions, they can continue the conversation at the bottom of the page.
But that’s not all. Google also announced SGE while browsing to summarize long-form content such as lengthy articles, making it easier for users to get the highlights on any topic. The summaries often come in a bulleted list format, and Google provides links to the corresponding sections of the content it pulls its information from. This way, users can fact check the information or obtain more context by simply clicking on the relevant part of the summary.
Moreover, Google’s AI summary breaks down different sections of the article in an Explore on page section, presenting users with questions they might want answers to. By tapping on a question, users are taken directly to the part of the article that addresses it, with that section highlighted. Additionally, the Explore more section provides answers to these questions, eliminating the need to navigate to various parts of the article manually.
To access these features, users need to sign up for Google’s Search Labs. Signing up is a straightforward process. Simply open a new Chrome tab (not in Incognito mode) and click on the lab icon resembling a beaker. Users can also access these options through the Google app on iOS and Android by tapping the beaker icon. If the icon is not visible, it means the Google Account does not support Search Labs, and users may need to join a waitlist.
To enable the experiments, users should turn on SGE, generative AI in Search, and SGE while browsing. Once activated, the new generative AI pop-ups will appear whenever users perform a search in Google or access long-form articles.
Google’s introduction of AI summaries and highlights in search features marks another significant milestone in the company’s AI advancements. By combining generative AI with search capabilities, Google is providing users with quick and informative summaries along with relevant highlights. This proves to be a valuable tool for users looking to obtain concise information efficiently.
