Google's latest developments

Yesterday, Google presented its latest developments and products at the annual Google I/O event. As expected, a new phone with facial recognition and wireless charging (Pixel 7a) was introduced, and a foldable phone with a 7.6 inch screen (19.3 centimeters) when unfolded (Pixel Fold) and a Pixel tablet were shown. But of course most of the attention went to the AI integration in Google Search and in the office applications. This is separate from Google's chatbot Bard.
AI appears to run like a red thread through all kinds of services. For example, generative AI will be integrated into the office apps and into Google Photos, where you will soon be able to edit photos as if you were working in Photoshop.
As Google showed yesterday, the new AI search (Google calls it “Search Generative Experience”) will look like this:

• After a search, instead of the familiar blue links supplemented with information blocks from Wikipedia, for example, you will see a new large field in which an answer to the question is generated. For now, Google clearly says “Generative AI is experimental” above the answer. And questions in the new form are only answered if the system thinks it is relevant. Questions about health and finances are always only answered in the traditional way, where you have to make your own choice from the websites shown. In addition, the search engine may not have a personality, no answers are given in the I form.
• Next to the answer you see 'links' to a number of websites on which the answer is based, to 'prove' that the answer is correct.
• You can also ask follow-up questions or search deeper, whereby AI can provide new answers. And, very important for Google, this version of the search engine also contains advertisements.

Gradual introduction

To use the new search, you must live in the United States for the time being and choose to participate in this experiment. But eventually it should be available to every user.
With this new way of searching, Google retains an important role for the searcher and his or her judgment. He or she can check whether the answer is correct, can look for other (follow-up) answers and remains in control with questions about health and finances: Google does not pretend to present 'the answer' (or it does not want to burn to give an incorrect answer…?), but gives several options from which the user can choose the website that best answers the query.
And it retains the ability to run ads, Google's main source of revenue. If users adopt these new forms of search, Google's position as the leading search engine will remain untouched for the time being.