Google adding AI-powered chatbot to search

Google this week said it is adding a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) for the next version of its search function as the company looks to keep pace with other companies making advancements in that technology. 

Elizabeth Reid, Google’s vice president and general manager of search, said in a release on Wednesday the company is “reimagining” what its search engine can do with the new developments in AI. 

“With this powerful new technology, we can unlock entirely new types of questions you never thought Search could answer, and transform the way information is organized, to help you sort through and make sense of what’s out there,” Reid said. 

The plans were initially announced at Google’s I/O, an annual conference for developers to discuss new technologies and products. 

Reid said the engine’s new AI capabilities will take “more of the work out of searching” to help users better understand a topic, learn additional viewpoints and be more productive. 

The release includes an example of the AI chatbot providing a user with the most pertinent information about deciding where to take a family trip with children younger than 3 and a dog. This would allow the user to read a response from the chatbot instead of searching through links for information that can answer their question. 

The chatbot also includes suggestions for other related questions that the user might ask. 

For users who are looking to shop online, the chatbot will present to them factors they might consider when making a purchase, including recent reviews, ratings, prices and images of the product. The release states that the experience will be based on the company’s Shopping Graph, which has more than 35 billion product listings. 

Reid said the chatbot will include a “wide range” of sources to help people gain insight to inform their decisions and help them learn more about a topic. She also said Google will ensure the AI models keep the company’s standards of quality and will continually make improvements to the tools as time goes on. 

The release states that it is starting experiments with the technology that is available on Google Chrome on desktops and on the Google app in the United States to incorporate feedback to the bot. 

The updates come as other Big Tech companies have moved forward with developing AI technology. OpenAI has received widespread attention as its chatbot ChatGPT, and its updated version GPT-4, have become more popular. 

Microsoft has announced that it plans to add AI technology to its Word and Excel programs, and Elon Musk has said he would launch an AI platform, called TruthGPT, to challenge Google and Microsoft.