At the Google I/O conference this month, the search engine giant announced the rollout of AI Overviews in the U.S., in addition to a suite of new search features powered by artificial intelligence. These features include multi-step reasoning, planning assistance, AI-organized search results, and video search using Google Lens.
The advancement of generative AI has put Google in a position to redefine the capabilities of search, making it more intuitive and easier to find answers than ever before. Here’s a brief look at how you can expect the search experience to change.
One-Stop Search Results With AI Overviews
Google’s AI Overviews are complete responses to user queries directly from the search interface. This eliminates the need for users to piece together the information they are seeking from multiple sources. AI Overviews will now be rolling out to all U.S. users, and Google says they expect the feature to reach one billion people by the end of 2024. AI Overviews will also be customizable to offer a complete overview or simplified language in response to a search query.
Here is an example of an AI Overview using the “Simpler” mode:
Sourced from Search Engine Roundtable.
Answer Complex Questions With Multi-Step Reasoning
Google’s chatbot Gemini will enhance search by answering complex questions with what’s called multi-step reasoning. According to Google, multi-step reasoning will stop users from having to break down questions into multiple searches. Instead, Google says searchers will now be able to ask “the most complex questions, with all the nuances and caveats you have in mind, all in one go.”
Use Search to Plan Your Next Meal or Vacation
Google wants to expand the user journey to include multi-step planning for things like meals or vacations. Google provided an example where, thanks to AI, users can easily search for “create a 3 day meal plan for a group that’s easy to prepare” and receive multiple recipe ideas from across the web. These results will be easy to customize and tweak, and can also be exported to Google Docs or Gmail.
Here’s an example of what planning in search looks like:
Sourced from Search Engine Roundtable.
AI-Organized Results for Inspiration
If users aren’t quite sure what exactly they’re looking for, Google search will now have AI-organized search results with AI-generated headlines for users to explore and brainstorm new ideas. Google says U.S. users will see AI-organized results for dining and recipes, followed by movies, music, books, hotels, and shopping.
Below is an example of what these inspirational headlines will look like. You can see content grouped by headlines, such as “Anniversary-worthy restaurants” and “Live music and intimate settings.”
Sourced from Search Engine Roundtable.
Next-Level Video Search
With the help of Google’s image-recognition technology, Google Lens, users will soon be able to search with a video. This will allow users to receive AI-generated solutions to issues that they can see but are hard to describe.
Google provided the following example of how searching with a video could come in handy:
"Maybe you bought a record player at a thrift shop, but it’s not working when you turn it on and the metal piece with the needle is drifting unexpectedly. Searching with video saves you the time and trouble of finding the right words to describe this issue, and you’ll get an AI Overview with steps and resources to troubleshoot.”
Here’s what this experience will look like:
Sourced from Search Engine Roundtable.
Be Prepared for the Future of Search
These latest features are just a glimpse into how Google is revolutionizing the search experience with AI. Whether it’s simplifying the search process or enhancing the user journey with planning capabilities, the landscape of search is going to change dramatically.
This could be troubling for publishers who rely on traffic from Google Search. If users are able to satisfy their queries directly from the search engine’s results page, how can publishers protect their traffic?
RebelMouse is an AI-enabled CMS that uses generative AI to support the content creation process, not hinder it. Our AI-powered content suggestions, automated content optimization, and intelligent editing tools help maximize content potential and the user experience. Creating modern, personalized experiences on your website helps nurture audience loyalty, and in turn, protects your readerships as the industry adapts to AI.
Example of RebelMouse’s metadata optimizer.
Google’s new search innovations are impressive, and they will likely enhance the search experience for the entire web. At RebelMouse, we’re working alongside these advancements to make sure the sites in our network are also making the most of generative AI.
Looking to keep up, too? Request a demo today and let’s see how AI can transform your business.
