Introduction:
Searching the web is one of the most common and useful activities that we do online. Whether we want to learn something new, find answers to our questions, or explore our interests, we rely on search engines to help us find the information we need. But what if search engines could do more than just show us links to web pages? What if they could generate original and relevant content based on our queries, and help us learn and explore more easily?
That’s the vision behind Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), a new way to search the web using generative AI. In this blog, we will explain what generative AI is, how it works in SGE, how SGE can help you learn and explore more, and what are some of the new features and improvements in SGE. We will also show you how you can try SGE and give feedback to Google.
Google has always been at the forefront of innovation in search technology, and its latest experiment is no exception. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is a new way to search the web using generative AI, which can create original and relevant content based on user queries.
SGE is currently available as an opt-in feature in Search Labs, a platform where Google tests new ideas and features for Search. Users who enable SGE can access AI-powered overviews and ask follow-up questions, right in Search. SGE aims to help users quickly get the gist of a topic, dive deeper into specific aspects, and access high-quality results and perspectives from Google.
What is generative AI and how does it work in SGE?
Generative AI is a branch of artificial intelligence that can produce new content or data that is not directly copied from existing sources. Generative AI models learn from large amounts of data and use various techniques to generate novel outputs, such as text, images, audio, or code.
In SGE, generative AI is used to create overviews for various topics or questions related to science, economics, history, and more. These overviews are not simply extracted or summarized from existing web pages but are generated by an AI model that can synthesize information from multiple sources and present it in a concise and coherent way.
For example, if you search for “how does nuclear fusion work”, you will see an overview that explains the basic concept of nuclear fusion, the challenges and benefits of achieving it, and some current research efforts on it. You can also see related diagrams or images on the topic by hovering over certain words.
How can SGE help you learn and explore more?
SGE not only provides you with AI-generated overviews but also allows you to ask follow-up questions in a conversational way. You can type or speak your questions in natural language, and SGE will try to answer them using generative AI or other relevant sources.
For example, if you want to know more about the difference between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission, you can ask “What is the difference between fusion and fission” after seeing the overview on nuclear fusion. SGE will generate a response that compares the two processes in terms of energy output, fuel source, waste production, and safety.
SGE also helps you easily explore and take the next steps by providing you with the high-quality results and perspectives that you expect from Google. You can access the web pages that are used as sources for the AI-generated overviews and responses by clicking on the links below them. You can also see other relevant web pages, images, videos, news articles, and more by scrolling down or tapping on the tabs at the top.
What are some of the new features and improvements in SGE?
Since its launch in May 2023, SGE has been continuously improved with new features and capabilities to make the experience even more helpful. Some of the recent updates include:
More images and videos in overviews:
SGE now includes more visual elements in the AI-generated overviews to help you better understand complex topics or concepts. For example, if you search for “how does a black hole form”, you will see an overview that includes an image of a black hole and a video that explains its formation.
Improvements to how links are displayed:
SGE now shows more information about the web pages that are used as sources for the AI-generated overviews and responses. You can see the title, snippet, URL, and favicon of each link below the generated content.
Syntax highlighting for code segments:
SGE now adds colour-coding to segments of code in overviews to help you better digest the code you see at a glance. This feature is especially useful for programmers who want to learn more about coding languages or tools. For example, if you search for “how to create a list in Python”, you will see an overview that includes a code snippet with syntax highlighting.
SGE while browsing:
SGE now offers an early experiment in Search Labs called “SGE while browsing”, which allows you to use generative AI to learn more quickly as you browse the web. This feature is designed to help you navigate information online and get to the core of what you’re looking for faster. For example, if you’re reading a long or complex web page about a topic, you can tap on the Labs icon in the Google app or Chrome desktop to see an AI-generated summary of the page, key points, questions answered on the page, and relevant sections to jump to.
How can you try SGE and give feedback?
SGE is currently only available in the US (English) as an opt-in feature in Search Labs. You can try this new experience by tapping on the Labs icon in the latest version of the Google app (Android or iOS) or on Chrome desktop. You can also disable SGE at any time by going to the Labs settings.
SGE is an early-stage experience, so quality may vary. Your feedback will help Google improve it. You can share your thoughts and suggestions by tapping on the feedback button at the bottom of the SGE results or by filling out this survey.
Conclusion:
SGE is an exciting experiment that showcases the potential of generative AI in search technology. By creating original and relevant content based on user queries, SGE aims to provide a richer and more interactive way to search the web. SGE also allows users to ask follow-up questions, access high-quality results and perspectives from Google, and use generative AI while browsing the web.
SGE is currently only available in the US (English) as an opt-in feature in Search Labs. You can try this new experience by tapping on the Labs icon in the latest version of the Google app (Android or iOS) or on Chrome desktop. You can also disable SGE at any time by going to the Labs settings.
SGE is an early-stage experience, so quality may vary. Your feedback will help Google improve it. You can share your thoughts and suggestions by tapping on the feedback button at the bottom of the SGE results or by filling out this survey.
We hope you enjoyed reading this blog and learning more about SGE. Happy searching! 😊
FAQs
- What is SGE?
SGE stands for Search Generative Experience, a new way to search the web using generative AI. It is an opt-in feature in Search Labs, a platform where Google tests new ideas and features for Search.
- What is generative AI?
Generative AI is a branch of artificial intelligence that can produce new content or data that is not directly copied from existing sources. Generative AI models learn from large amounts of data and use various techniques to generate novel outputs, such as text, images, audio, or code.
- How does SGE use generative AI?
SGE uses generative AI to create overviews for various topics or questions related to science, economics, history, and more. These overviews are not simply extracted or summarized from existing web pages, but are generated by an AI model that can synthesize information from multiple sources and present it in a concise and coherent way. SGE also uses generative AI to answer follow-up questions in a conversational way.
- How can SGE help me learn and explore more?
SGE can help you quickly get the gist of a topic, dive deeper into specific aspects, and access high-quality results and perspectives from Google. You can also see related diagrams or images on the topic by hovering over certain words. You can also use SGE while browsing the web to see an AI-generated summary of the page, key points, questions answered on the page, and relevant sections to jump to.
- How can I try SGE and give feedback?
SGE is currently only available in the US (English) as an opt-in feature in Search Labs. You can try this new experience by tapping on the Labs icon in the latest version of the Google app (Android or iOS) or on Chrome desktop. You can also disable SGE at any time by going to the Labs settings. You can share your thoughts and suggestions by tapping on the feedback button at the bottom of the SGE results or by filling out this survey.