Google Introduces AI Mode to Compete with Chatbots in Search Engine - The Information
According to a report based on sources from The Information, Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) plans to add an artificial intelligence mode to its search engine that can compete with existing AI chatbots. This new feature is expected to resemble Google's own Gemini AI chatbot, which currently operates separately from the search engine. This development is anticipated to significantly increase Gemini's user base.
The introduction of the AI mode demonstrates Google’s efforts to adapt its main revenue source in the face of transformative chatbot services like ChatGPT and Perplexity. These services are changing the way people find information, ranging from shopping and travel recommendations to writing tips and recipe searches. Android Authority previously reported on Google's plans to add an AI mode to its search engine.
Software code already integrated into Google's search application suggests that the AI mode could allow users to interact with Google Search on their Android devices, including communication with Google Gemini or ChatGPT. Android Authority found similar code in Google’s Android application.
A spokesperson from Google stated that as advanced models continue to improve, there is a significant opportunity to incorporate these new capabilities into Search, helping people explore more of the web.
However, the introduction of the AI mode is not without risks. Google is currently awaiting penalties from a federal judge after being ruled an illegal monopoly. The Justice Department has indicated that it might seek to limit Google’s ability to use its search engine to outpace AI chatbot competitors, which could impede the rollout of new features like the AI mode.
Google could argue that the search engine has always been AI-powered, deeming the new changes as not particularly significant.
Users will be able to switch to the AI mode by clicking on a tab located at the top of the results page. This new tab will be positioned to the left of other long-standing tabs such as All, Images, Videos, and Shopping.
Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, Google has felt pressure to update its products or launch new ones in response to the threat posed by AI chatbots. In response, Google launched Bard in March 2023, which was later rebranded as Gemini and launched separately from search. In February, Google began introducing the Gemini chatbot in the Google mobile application. In May, it launched the AI Overviews feature, which initially faced backlash for producing misleading results on social media, leading Google to retract the feature.
While ChatGPT does not appear to have impacted Google Search's ad revenues, Google executives are preparing for such a possibility, especially as OpenAI continues to promote its web search capabilities. ChatGPT claims to have over 300 million weekly users. Google has not disclosed the number of Gemini chatbot users, but data from firms tracking chatbot usage indicates that ChatGPT significantly surpasses its competitors. For instance, Similarweb reported that in November, ChatGPT received nearly 14 times more visitors than Gemini.
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