AI has landed in Google Search, but how much will you really see?

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In the first major announcement of I/O 2024 this week, Google revealed that AI Overviews – formerly the Search Generative Experience (SGE) – is now rolling out to the general public. But since its initial debut a year ago, AI Overviews in Search doesn’t seem to be as prevalent as it used to be.

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When Google first announced its SGE experiment last year, we called it “scarily enough” because in many cases the AI-generated results answered the question more efficiently than links ever could, and with pretty good accuracy. At that time, the SGE results were activated almost every search. There were certainly exceptions, but most searches would result in an AI block at the top of the page, pushing everything else down the screen.

Over the past year it felt like that had changed.

Google appears to have toned down how often you’ll see AI overviews in Search ahead of this week’s launch. Many simple searches for direct keywords – such as the name of something or someone – often do not return an AI overview, but only typical results. Many searches that trigger Featured Snippets or Knowledge Panels will also skip the AI.

It also seems that a balance has been reached in terms of shopping as well. Google may still show AI with these results, but sometimes lower on the page, giving products top billing.

Overall, Search’s use of AI just feels less aggressive than it once did.

Google explained this this week 9to5Google that AI summaries only appear in Search when the system thinks it is particularly useful. For example, when you search for something that may require pulling information from different sources, or when you ask a direct question in Search, AI may end up being used more often than when you focus on very specific information. keywords.

Ultimately, that feels like the right decision. AI in search can be helpful. For example, Google’s examples of using AI to plan meals or outings in Search and having the AI ​​organize meal plans with links to recipes from around the web seem genuine and incredibly useful. But other times, AI simply gets in the way. After a year of using SGE, I especially feel like I’m scrolling past the answers half the time because they’re often not the answer I’m looking for.

AI overviews seem super useful for planning, partly because they contain a lot of links

One of the biggest questions surrounding the general rollout of AI Overviews remains how it will impact the internet as a whole. Google Search, by far the largest search engine in the world, drives incredibly large amounts of traffic to websites. The simple fact is that Google can’t starve that traffic. If so, large parts of the internet will likely become extinct, and many others will turn to using AI to generate massive amounts of content in an effort to survive (which is already happening). That’s not good for anyone, including Google, because AI that feeds on other AI is a recipe for disaster.

We will have to see how it will develop in the coming months and even years.

Google introduces AI overviews from the US Have you seen them live yet?

This week’s most important stories

Google I/O 2024

This week saw Google I/O 2024 and with it a bunch of AI updates from Google. Here’s everything you need to catch up.

  • Google Photos ‘Ask Photos’ lets you search your images with voice and text prompts
  • NotebookLM gets podcast-style audio overviews with live Q&A
  • ‘Gemini Live’ lets you talk to Gemini while Google demonstrates ‘Project Astra’ on glasses
  • Google is adding AI to Android with the Gemini app and Nano on the device
  • Gemini Advanced now uses 1.5 Pro while Google details more extensions and custom ‘Gems’
  • Google’s AI-powered search is rolling out to everyone today
  • Gmail on Android, iOS gets more Gemini: Q&A, Better Smart Answer, Summarize
  • Gemini 1.5 Pro powered Side Panel launches in Gmail, Google Docs and more
  • Google launches ‘Veo’, an AI video generation tool alongside Imagen 3 upgrade
  • Gemini in Google Messages, YouTube Music extension rolling out
  • Google Home APIs allow other apps to be deeply integrated with your smart home and Nest
  • Google Pixel’s Bedtime Mode brings Google Home integration to control devices
  • Wear OS 5 extends battery life, Developer Preview now available
  • Android 15 Beta 2 rolling out on Pixel: Private Space, app pairs saves, and more
  • Google Cast is coming to Android Automotive and Rivian vehicles, as well as new apps
  • Android 14 for TVs brings new power modes and the hope of better apps
  • Android increases security with theft detection lock and factory reset protection
  • Google Wallet adds pass notifications, creates digital text passes and more
  • Passwords appear in Gboard on Android 15 and come to Wear OS 5

Marc Rebillet also made a surprising appearance. GOOGLE!

Real-life Pixel 9 leaks

Ahead of I/O – yes, other things happened this week – new leaks offered a realistic look at the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. They correspond quite closely to leaks. What do you think?

Android 15 Beta 2

Also, as is tradition, the latest Android Beta has been launched at I/O. Android 15 Beta 2 was one of the biggest updates to Android 15 yet and brought a few notable changes.

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