Google has officially launched its much-talked-about AI-driven chatbot integration into its main search engine experience, fundamentally changing how users access information online.
Called “AI Mode,” the new feature which was first launched in the US last week guarantees a GTA-playing experience that is more conversational and easier for you to search, essentially challenging the rise of standalone AI bots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The “AI Mode” is easily visible through a large tab in the search bar and in the Google app, where people can ask more complicated, nuanced queries and ask follow-up questions to narrow their search.
This breaks from keyword-based search as well, with the concept for delivering full answers and summaries directly on the page, with source-site links for deeper access if the user chooses.
The search engine giant says the technology at its core uses a more sophisticated “query fan-out” process, which sees the AI break down complex questions into dozens or hundreds of smaller questions, while searching a broader swath of web.
This allows the system to put together knowledge and information to create intelligent answers, moving away from amateur to expert answers, which can save users a lot of time by not having to wade through many websites.
We’ve heard early user feedback in the US rollout has been positive with users enjoying the ability to ask more natural language questions and getting quick, AI-written summaries.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai touted the integration of their chatbot Gemini into search as a “new stage of the AI platform shift,” highlighting the improved reasoning mechanisms that enable longer, more conversational queries.
Timeframe for the global launch is not shared, but the industry observers speculate that “AI Mode” will be gradually integrated with Google users across the world as a default.
This integration could turn the tables on traditional search engine optimization (SEO), shifting businesses from trying to create and conduct themselves around a keyword-based platform to setting up more natural, human conversations, and contextually based interactions.
Instead, experts recommend concentrating on in-depth content that provides specific answers to the user’s query and proves topical authority.
The transfer is a sign that Google is doubling down on its ability to remain an innovator in search, as well as a response to the competitive environment now defined by gains in generative AI.
As “AI Mode” continues to learn from users’ feedback, it will shape the way we find and digest content online, and possibly make the search process more efficient and user-minded.
