Google aims for Search as AI assistant this year

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Sundar Pichai - Google CEO

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced that the company is on a “journey” around AI, to transform its globally acclaimed “Google Search” from a basic search engine to an AI assistant beginning this year.

The journey, he said, start with the controversial AI overviews, but it marks a significant shift in how the company delivers information to users.‎

‎“As AI continues to expand the universe of queries that people can ask, 2025 is going to be one of the biggest years for search innovation yet,” said Pichai.

‎Google plans to integrate AI features from DeepMind’s research lab, transforming Search into an AI assistant that browses the internet, looks at web pages, and returns answers.

‎A basic search system that provides you with ten blue links is a far cry from what is coming.

‎Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, which took the search behemoth off guard, Google has been on this trajectory for a few years. For websites that depend on Google traffic and companies who purchase ads on Google Search, the change has significant ramifications.

‎Although not everyone is pleased, Google is continuing to advance.

‎Pichai emphasised the potential of Project Astra, DeepMind’s multimodal AI system, which can process live video and respond to user inquiries in real-time, in shaping the future of AI and search.

‎Google plans to develop an operating system for augmented reality smart glasses powered by a multimodal AI system in other business areas.

‎Pichai highlighted Gemini Deep Research, an AI agent that automates research tasks in Google Search, potentially changing users’ experience by generating lengthy reports in minutes.

‎“You are really dramatically expanding the types of use cases for which Search can work—things that don’t always get answered instantaneously but can take some time to answer,” said Pichai. “Those are all areas of exploration, and you will see us putting new experiences in front of users through the course of 2025.”

‎Google’s Project Mariner, an AI agent, can create search experiences by using the front end of websites on behalf of users, eliminating the need for users to use websites themselves.

‎Pichai suggests enhancing user interaction and questioning with Google Search, potentially transforming the search interface into a chatbot-like experience.

‎“I think the [Search] product will evolve even more,” said Pichai. “As you make it easier for people to interact and ask follow-up questions, etc., I think we have an opportunity to drive further growth.”

‎Google is addressing ChatGPT’s threat by building a competitor AI chatbot and integrating AI features directly into Search to counter its long-term business.

‎Google’s initial AI venture, Google Search, displayed inaccurate and strange hallucinations, leading to the recognition of the need for improvement in AI overviews.

‎It seems that Google is only beginning to integrate AI into Search, despite this unfavourable launch.

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