Alphabet Inc’s Google will bring more artificial intelligence into its core search product, hoping to excite users as Microsoft’s update to rival search engine Bing did over the past few months.
At its annual I/O conference in Mountain View, California, on Wednesday, Google introduced a new version of its engine of the same name. Dubbed Generative Search Experience, the upgraded engine can craft responses to open-ended questions while maintaining the usual list of links that appear when searching.
“We’re reimagining all of our core products, like search,” Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said after taking the stage during the conference.
He added that Google is integrating generative artificial intelligence into search as well as products such as (Gmail), where it can create draft messages, and (Google Images), where it can make changes to images such as coloring in empty parts.
Alphabet shares rose 4 percent on Wednesday.
Company vice president Kathy Edwards said in an interview that US users will be able to access the generative search experience in the coming weeks through a waiting list, in a beta phase during which Google will monitor the quality, speed and cost of search results.
Google’s foray into so-called generative artificial intelligence comes after startup OpenAI introduced ChatGPT, the popular chatbot that set off a funding race among potential rivals. Generative AI is able to create entirely new content, such as full text and images, using historical data.
OpenAI, backed by billions of dollars from Microsoft and now integrated with the Bing search engine, has become the main choice of generative AI for many users, helping them prepare contracts, travel plans and even write entire novels.
Google also released a new foldable smartphone from the Pixel series that allows customers to use the company’s artificial intelligence. The phone will initially be priced at $1,799 and comes with a free Pixel Watch. The company also unveiled a $499 phone, called the Pixel 7a, which is available for order starting today, Wednesday.