Google’s Search AI is revolutionizing the user experience by introducing AI summaries and categorized articles. This latest update to the Search Generative Experience (SGE) aims to enhance browsing while providing users with quick access to relevant information. Let’s dive into the details.
VP of product management for Search, Rany Ng, shared in a recent blog post that the SGE update will operate actively while users browse other web pages. By enabling the SGE while browsing feature, users can simply click on the G icon at the top of their browser app to access AI summaries when on a webpage. These summaries will consist of bullet points that describe the content of the page. Clicking on any of these bullet points will instantly direct users to the corresponding part of the text.
During a demonstration, Google highlighted the capabilities of this feature using a National Parks Service page that explained the history of Route 66. The Search AI efficiently divided the article into sections such as how far does Route 66 stretch and what year did they start Route 66. Clicking on these sections allowed users to navigate to the specific part of the article they were interested in. This update is currently available on iOS and Android through the Google app and will soon be accessible on Chrome desktop.
Ng emphasized that the AI will not provide key points for articles that are behind paywalls. However, in order to implement this, publishers are required to inform Google which pages are free or require a subscription. This delicate balancing act between Google and publishers reflects the challenge of training the AI while respecting paywall boundaries. Some publishers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the current situation, with The New York Times going so far as to adjust its terms of service to prevent any company from training AI on its articles.
While the Search AI’s capabilities outside of Google Search are indeed impressive, another noteworthy feature is the inclusion of expanded definitions. The upcoming SGE upgrade will present users with definitions for specific buzzwords found within the Search AI text. For instance, hovering the cursor over terms like periodic table or proton will trigger a small pop-up box containing a definition sourced from Wikipedia or other relevant websites that the AI has already retrieved information from.
This new feature bears semblance to the informative blurbs found in some of Obsidian’s isometric RPGs, where players can hover over words to gain a better understanding of intricate terminology. What sets Google’s implementation apart is that these definitions are not generated by AI but instead provide links to external sources, offering users the opportunity to verify information in real-time.
Naturally, there is irony in the fact that the AI is trained on the same data it cites from Wikipedia and other websites. Google plans to scrape information from the entire internet, including copyrighted content, to train its AI. Nevertheless, the company acknowledges the need for publishers to include restrictions so that their data is not scraped by AI.
The Search AI has undergone constant changes since its launch earlier this year. Recently, it started incorporating more in-line links alongside AI-generated responses. This adjustment came as a response to Google’s search liaison Danny Sullivan noting that the AI sometimes assumes it is creating original content, resembling a poem, rather than offering a fully cited blurb about a topic.
Google continues to navigate its use of user-generated content in generating AI responses. In its most recent SGE update, the company enabled users to provide feedback and reviews regarding restaurants, shops, and various destinations. This expands the scope of user-generated content and plays a role in refining the AI’s ability to generate relevant and helpful responses.
In conclusion, Google’s Search AI is taking user experience to new heights with its AI summaries and categorized articles. The ability to generate bullet point summaries while browsing, coupled with the provision of expanded definitions for complex terms, exemplifies Google’s commitment to enhancing the search experience. Although challenges exist in striking a balance with publishers, Google aims to find solutions that benefit both users and content creators. With constant updates and improvements, Google’s Search AI continues to revolutionize how we access and comprehend information.
