Godfrey Benjamin
Google has initiated trials in the UK for search answers generated by artificial intelligence (AI), following a previous testing phase in the US. The feature is nicknamed “Search Generative Experience” by Google and aims to revolutionize how users obtain answers from the search engine giant.
Google AI Testing: Challenges and Considerations
The “Search Generative Experience,” feature which has been in development for almost a year in the US is accessible to users who signed up via Google Labs. Hence, the UK trial will involve a limited portion of search traffic from logged-in users. These users will have AI-generated “overviews” displayed at the top of select search results.
Although Google is a well-established search engine, the integration of Copilot AI in Microsoft’s Bing is proving to be a stiff competition for the tech giant. The integration of AI is seen as a way to stay ahead of the competitive curve.
However, publishers have raised concerns regarding their visibility and traffic to their websites with AI-generated answers. They fear that searches with long responses may be enough to satisfy users’ queries without further need to visit websites where comprehensive answers are domiciled. If this happens, it will heavily impact publishers’ ad revenue.
Meanwhile, there has been speculation of possible subscription models for premium AI search features. Google has however refuted claims of developing an ad-free search experience.
Google Reaffirms Quality Assurance
Google’s generative AI efforts in search, Executive Hema Budaraju in an interview with the BBC assured that the new search results would still display links and ads as usual emphasizing the priority of directing traffic to content creators.
Budaraju stressed that Google remains committed to maintaining information quality and responsibility in AI-generated content. She insisted that Google was aware of the risks inherent in AI systems, including biases and inaccuracies, hence, the company will always prioritize accuracy over fluency, especially in sensitive areas. Google was forced to issue an apology in February when its AI chatbot Gemini returned controversial responses.
Google users in the UK have feedback mechanisms in place for those encountering issues on the experimental platform. Although the initial responses from US users have been positive, the potential widespread adoption of AI-generated search answers is generating concerns in some quarters.
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson had joined notable voices that condemned Google’s Gemini AI for producing inaccurate and offensive images, even calling it “racist”.
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