Google’s strategic shift and response to competition from Microsoft have led to the launch of the Search Generative Experience (SGE) in India. This AI-driven feature is part of Google’s efforts to revamp its core search engine offerings. Named the SGE, this feature is accessible within Google’s Search Labs initiative and supports both English and Hindi languages.
Generative AI’s Impact on Search
CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted the surge of innovation within Search during a recent earnings conference call. Generative AI has shattered previous constraints and granted Search newfound flexibility. Pichai emphasized that generative AI will become the norm for Search over time, signifying a paradigm shift in user interaction with the tool.
Introducing the SGE to India
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is now available in India, following its initial introduction in the United States and Japan. Users can access this feature by clicking the Labs icon in the Google app or Chrome desktop. The SGE presents an AI-crafted snapshot of search results, allowing users to explore topics more efficiently.
Upon opting into the SGE experiment, users are greeted with an integrated search results page. This page offers an AI-generated snapshot of the topic, accompanied by relevant links. Users can pose follow-up queries or select suggested questions, engaging in a dynamic conversational mode that provides context with each question. Traditional search results are also available with a simple scroll.
India’s Role in Advancements
Liz Reid, Vice President of Google Search, emphasized the significant role that India plays in these enhancement efforts. In an interview with Moneycontrol, she highlighted how Indian users’ preferences and behaviors contribute to shaping these improvements.
CEO Sundar Pichai, in a July earnings conference call, emphasized the ongoing surge of innovation within the realm of Search. This process has been unfolding over the years, and generative AI is at the forefront of this transformative journey.
India-Centric Features and Language Support
Google is introducing India-centric features within the AI-driven search experience. Voice search adoption is addressed with a ‘Listen’ option that converts responses to Text-To-Speech. Users can use voice input for follow-up questions in conversation mode. Additionally, a language toggle facilitates switching between English and Hindi responses in states where Hindi is spoken.
Puneesh Kumar, General Manager of Google Search, India, emphasized Google’s commitment to user feedback and collaboration for refining the SGE experience. Initially activated for queries with “high confidence,” the SGE will undergo a continuous assessment, refinement, and fine-tuning process to expand its compatibility with new query types.
Google’s Competition and Speed Enhancement
However, Google faces fierce competition, particularly from Microsoft, which also integrates generative AI capabilities into its products, including the Bing search engine. One challenge for Google is enhancing the speed of the AI search experience. Although a brief lag exists between the SGE encounter and standard results, recent modifications have significantly reduced this duration.
A pressing challenge for Google is to enhance the speed of the AI search experience. Currently, users may experience a slight delay between encountering the generative AI-driven content and receiving standard search results.
Over the past year, Google has been actively dedicated to enhancing its traditional search experience. By integrating elements like images, sounds, text, and speech, the aim is to craft a more engaging and visually interactive interface for users.
Recent modifications made in the past few weeks have significantly reduced this delay, enhancing the overall speed of the search experience. According to Kumar, these modifications have effectively halved the duration of the delay, resulting in a more seamless and efficient experience for users
Shattering Previous Constraints
Pichai noted that generative AI has broken through previous limitations, granting Google Search newfound flexibility and capabilities. He asserted that, with time, generative AI will become the standard for Search, marking a significant paradigm shift in how users engage with this tool.
Kumar elaborated on ongoing efforts to construct enhanced models and refine the process further. The goal is to minimize latency and ensure that the generative AI-driven content seamlessly integrates with traditional search results.
Even with a slight pause in snapshot generation, users stand to gain substantial benefits. The result is a more astute and user-friendly navigation through search results, significantly enriching their overall search experience.
The Future Evolution of Search: Generative AI and Consumer Behavior
The SGE experiment offers a glimpse into the future evolution of the search engine. As generative AI advancements drive changes in consumer behavior, Google’s approach to search adapts accordingly. The company has actively worked on enhancing the traditional search experience by integrating images, sounds, text, and speech to create a more engaging and visual interface.
As Google continues to experiment with the generative AI experience and respond to challenges posed by competition, the evolution of search engines takes a significant step forward. The integration of generative AI and the enhancements made to the search interface promises a more engaging and efficient search journey for users worldwide.
