Google announces new AI search feature

CNBC Television
14 May 202403:40

TLDRGoogle has announced a significant update to its search functionality at its annual developer conference. The company is set to launch AI Overviews and Search across the U.S., moving beyond the traditional ten blue links to a more interactive experience powered by generative AI. This new approach will provide a unique search experience for each user and is expected to roll out to more countries later in the year. Additionally, Google has revealed that over a million people have signed up to try Gemini, a chatbot that functions as an answer machine. This highlights Google's strategy to integrate AI more deeply into user interactions, potentially leading to a new era of AI agents capable of reasoning and engaging in back-and-forth conversations. However, questions remain about the impact on advertising revenue, as Gemini currently lacks a robust ad model.

Takeaways

  • 🚀 Google is launching AI Overviews and Search across the U.S., transforming the traditional search experience with AI integration.
  • 🔍 The new search feature is previously known as Search Generative Experience, moving away from the standard ten blue links to a more interactive AI-assisted search.
  • 📈 Google aims to roll out this AI-enhanced search to more countries throughout the year, following the U.S. launch.
  • 📊 Over a million people have signed up to try Gemini, Google's more advanced chatbot designed to provide answers.
  • 🆚 Comparing to ChatGBT, which reached 100 million monthly active users within two months of launch in 2022, Google's pace is slower but emphasizes scale and distribution.
  • 📈 The introduction of AI agents represents a shift from chatbots to more sophisticated AI that can reason and engage in back-and-forth conversations.
  • 🤖 Google's AI agent is expected to showcase capabilities beyond simple voice commands, hinting at more complex interactions.
  • 💰 The business model for Gemini is unclear, especially considering its lack of ads compared to the potential for ad placements in generative AI responses.
  • 📉 There's a significant difference between a million sign-ups for Gemini and 100 million monthly active users for ChatGBT, indicating a challenge for Google in user adoption.
  • 💡 Google's strategy within the generative AI world is still a question mark, particularly regarding how they will incorporate or forgo ads.
  • ❓ The reporter raises concerns about the quality of sponsored answers and how they might impact the overall user experience and search quality.

Q & A

  • What is the major announcement made by Google at its annual developer conference?

    -Google announced the launch of AI Overviews and Search across the U.S., which is a new search experience incorporating generative AI.

  • How will the new AI search feature change the traditional search experience?

    -Instead of the traditional ten blue links, the new AI search feature will provide a more personalized and dynamic search experience for users in America.

  • What is the current status of Google's Gemini project?

    -Over a million people have signed up to try Gemini, which is Google's more advanced chat bot or answer machine, in the last three months.

  • How does Google's Gemini project compare to ChatGBT in terms of user adoption?

    -ChatGBT reached 100 million monthly active users within two months of its launch in 2022, whereas Gemini has signed up a million users in three months.

  • What is the significance of the AI Agent concept introduced by Google?

    -The AI Agent represents a shift from chat bots to a more sophisticated model that can reason, engage in back-and-forth conversations, and perform tasks, marking a new era in AI-driven interactions.

  • What is the current challenge Google faces with Gemini in terms of monetization?

    -Google is grappling with how to integrate ads into the Gemini experience, as it currently does not have ads and the business model with generative AI is still unclear.

  • How does the reporter suggest Google's strategy might affect its competitiveness in the AI space?

    -The reporter questions whether Google can win in the generative AI world by maintaining its ad model, given the difference in user adoption rates between Gemini and ChatGBT.

  • What is the reporter's concern regarding the quality of sponsored answers in the context of AI search?

    -The reporter raises the issue that sponsored answers might compromise the quality of the search experience, as they could potentially prioritize paid content over organic results.

  • What is the reporter's observation about the current state of voice agents in the AI industry?

    -The reporter notes that the current focus is on voice agents, indicating a shift away from typing inputs, which could significantly alter how users interact with AI systems.

  • What is the reporter's anticipation regarding the demonstration of Google's AI Agent?

    -The reporter is eager to see more demonstrations, particularly to understand what Google's AI Agent will look like and how it will function in practice.

  • What is the reporter's final note on the ongoing discussion about the AI Overview feature?

    -The reporter is tuning back in to hear more from the head of AI at Google, suggesting a continuation of the discussion and potential for further announcements or insights.

  • What is the reporter's view on the difference between the number of ads in the new AI search experience compared to traditional methods?

    -The reporter acknowledges that there are not many ads in the new AI search experience, indicating a potential issue that Google needs to address as it rolls out the new feature.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Google's AI Overviews and Search Launch

Google's CEO announced the launch of AI Overviews and Search across the U.S. at the company's annual developer conference. This new feature, previously known as Search Generative Experience, will transform the traditional search experience from ten blue links to one that incorporates generative AI, providing a unique search appearance for each user in the U.S. The CEO also mentioned plans to expand this feature to more countries later in the year.

📈 Gemini's Rapid User Growth

The reporter highlighted the significant user growth for Gemini, Google's chat bot platform, with over a million people signing up in the past three months. This growth is notable when compared to ChatGBT, which reached 100 million monthly active users within two months of its launch in 2022. The reporter questioned Google's strategy and the potential impact of its ad model within a generative AI environment.

🤖 The Emergence of AI Agents

The discussion shifted towards the concept of AI agents, which are seen as an evolution from chat bots. Google introduced the idea of an AI agent that can motor, reason, and engage in back-and-forth conversations. The reporter expressed anticipation for further demonstrations, including the role of AI agents in workspace applications, and the potential shift from chat bots to more sophisticated AI-driven interactions.

📊 Advertising in the AI-Driven World

The reporter raised concerns about the impact of Google's AI-driven services on advertising, noting that Gemini does not currently include ads. The reporter questioned the sustainability of Google's strategy, especially considering the difference in user engagement between Gemini's one million sign-ups and ChatGBT's 100 million monthly active users. The conversation touched on the challenges of integrating ads without compromising the quality of AI-generated content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI Overviews

AI Overviews refers to a new feature that Google is introducing to its search engine. This feature is an enhancement that incorporates artificial intelligence to provide a more comprehensive and interactive search experience. Unlike traditional search results which typically display a list of ten blue links, AI Overviews aims to offer a more dynamic and personalized set of search results by leveraging generative AI technology. In the context of the video, this feature is a significant part of Google's announcement at their annual developer conference, indicating a shift towards a more AI-driven search experience.

💡Search Generative Experience

Search Generative Experience is a term used to describe the innovative approach to online search that utilizes generative AI to enhance the search process. It moves beyond the conventional listing of search results and employs AI to generate more relevant and tailored information for users. As mentioned in the script, this experience is set to replace the traditional ten blue links search format, offering a more evolved and user-centric search methodology.

💡AI Agent

An AI Agent, as introduced in the script, represents the next generation of interactive technology that goes beyond the capabilities of a chatbot. It is designed to not only provide responses to queries but also to engage in back-and-forth conversations, reason, and perform tasks autonomously. The concept of an AI agent signifies a move towards more sophisticated and human-like interactions with AI, which is a central theme in the advancements discussed in the video.

💡Gemini

Gemini is mentioned as a more pure form of a chatbot that is essentially an answer machine. It is a project by Google that has seen significant interest, with over a million people signing up to try it in the past three months. The script contrasts Gemini's user adoption with that of ChatGBT, highlighting Google's strategy and potential competition in the AI-driven service space.

💡ChatGBT

ChatGBT, presumably a reference to a competitor or another term for a chatbot technology, is highlighted in the script to demonstrate the rapid growth and adoption of AI-driven chatbots. The comparison with Gemini's user sign-ups underscores the pace at which AI technologies are being integrated and accepted by the public.

💡Generative AI

Generative AI is a branch of artificial intelligence that involves the creation of new content, such as text, images, or music, that is not simply replicating existing content but is generated anew. In the context of the video, Google's incorporation of generative AI into its search feature aims to transform the search experience by providing more dynamic and varied results that are not just a list of links.

💡Voice Agents

Voice Agents represent a hands-free, voice-activated form of AI that can perform tasks, answer questions, and interact with users through voice commands. The script suggests a shift towards a more interactive and less typing-dependent mode of interaction with AI, which is indicative of the evolving nature of technology and user interfaces.

💡Ads in Generative AI

The integration of advertisements within the context of generative AI is a topic of discussion in the script. It raises questions about the business model and user experience when traditional ad placements may not be as effective or visible in an AI-driven search environment. This is a key consideration for Google as they navigate the monetization of their new AI features.

💡User Sign-ups

User sign-ups refer to the number of individuals who have registered or shown interest in a particular service or product. In the script, the mention of a million people signing up for Gemini reflects the growing interest and potential market penetration of Google's AI initiatives.

💡Monthly Active Users (MAU)

Monthly Active Users (MAU) is a metric used to measure the number of unique users who have interacted with a service or application within a given month. The script compares the MAU of ChatGBT with the sign-ups for Gemini, providing an insight into user engagement and the potential reach of Google's AI services.

💡Business Model

The business model refers to the framework or strategy through which a company creates, delivers, and captures value. In the context of the video, the business model is a point of discussion regarding how Google plans to monetize its AI services, especially considering the changes in ad placements and user experience that generative AI may bring.

Highlights

Google announces the launch of AI Overviews and Search across the U.S. this week.

AI Overviews and Search is previously known as Search Generative Experience.

The new search feature will replace the traditional ten blue links with AI-generated responses.

The updated search experience will be different for every user in the U.S. by the end of the week.

Google plans to roll out the new search feature to more countries throughout the year.

Over a million people have signed up to try Gemini, Google's chat bot, in the last three months.

Google is moving slowly but has a significant distribution and scale advantage in the AI space.

Google is introducing the concept of an AI agent, moving beyond chat bots to more interactive and reasoning entities.

The Head of AI at Google is set to demonstrate what the Google AI agent will look like.

Google's Gemini does not currently include ads within its generative AI answers.

There is uncertainty regarding how the business model will adapt without ads in the generative AI space.

Google's strategy of maintaining an ad model within generative AI is questioned.

The difference in user adoption between Gemini and ChatGBT is highlighted, with Gemini at 1 million users and ChatGBT at 100 million monthly active users.

Google's approach to paid sponsored answers and the potential compromise on quality is discussed.

The shift from voice agents to interactive AI agents is noted as a significant development.

Google's annual developer conference in Mountain View is the venue for these announcements.

The CEO's keynote address at the conference is where the major announcements were made.