Google supercharges search engine with major AI-powered overhaul

LONDON, Oct 4 — Google has announced a number of artificial intelligence-powered updates to its search engine, calling them “some of our most significant Search updates to date”, the German news agency (dpa) reported.

From Thursday, users of the Google app on both Android and iOS will be able to use their voice to ask a question as they point their phone camera at an object or subject.

The technology giant has confirmed that it will begin rolling out a similar tool for early testers in its Search Labs programme, allowing users to ask questions while recording a video.

The company stated that its AI tools would be able to “make sense of the video and your question put together” before producing an AI Overview, which includes AI-generated query responses and helpful resources from the web.

The updates reflect the ongoing arms race between the world’s biggest tech firms to introduce new and compelling generative AI-powered tools to keep existing users engaged, and to draw in new ones.

On Wednesday, OpenAI, the firm behind generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, confirmed its latest funding round had raised US$6.6 billion (RM27.9 billion) — the largest ever — and valuing the company at more than US$150 billion, a sign that the frenzy around AI remains.

In its update, Google also said that it would begin rolling out new, AI-organised search results pages, starting in the US, and beginning with recipes and meal inspiration-related searches on mobile.

Google said: “You’ll now see a full-page experience, with relevant results organised just for you. You can easily explore content and perspectives from across the web including articles, videos, forums and more — all in one place.”

Elsewhere, the company said it would start, from Thursday, adding prominent links to supporting webpages directly within the text of AI Overviews, which have started to appear at the top of Google search results in recent weeks.

Google said that in testing, it has seen this “improved experience drive an increase in traffic to supporting websites compared to the previous design”.

Some critics have previously suggested that placing AI Overviews above listed search results could have an impact on publishers and advertisers, who could see clicks through to their webpages drop if they are moved further down the page.

Google said it has found that the addition of links within Overviews means “people are finding it easier to visit sites that interest them”.

In a further move to help businesses who use Google Search, the tech giant also confirmed that it is introducing ads within AI Overviews, starting in the US on mobile. — Bernama/PA Media/dpa