Google is expanding its AI search "SGE" to include AI-generated explanations and definitions of terms, syntax highlighting for code, and AI summaries of articles.
Glossaries make complex topics easier to understand
Glossaries and visual aids are designed to make complex topics in science, business, and history easier to understand, according to Google. Hover over words to see definitions and related images and diagrams.
Syntax highlighting makes code easier to understand
Google wants to make the AI-generated summaries easier for programmers to understand with syntax highlighting. Colored markers are intended to make code easier to understand and debug. Google added syntax highlighting to the underlying language model in a recent update.
"SGE while browsing" summarizes web pages into key points
The new "SBU while browsing" feature allows users to view the core content of longer articles on the web, according to Google. The AI summarizes the most important aspects and links directly to the relevant text passages.
On some Web pages you visit, you can tap to see an AI-generated list of the key points an article covers, with links that take you directly to what you're looking for on the page. We also help you dig deeper with Explore on page, where you can see questions the article answers and jump to the relevant section to learn more.
Rany Ng on Google's blog post
Rany Ng, VP Product Management for Google Search, emphasizes in the blog post that the latter feature is only available for articles without a paywall.
He said the company intends to use the pilot period to engage with publishers to find a solution that works for everyone. Meanwhile, media outlets such as The New York Times have updated their terms of service to prohibit AI companies from using their content for training purposes.
Google's AI search is getting better fast
The new options are part of Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE), an AI-powered search feature that launched in May 2023. Google aims to provide more relevant and understandable results in its search interface by generating answers itself, rather than sending users to a website. For follow-up questions, it offers a ChatGPT-like chatbot interface.
Since its launch, SGE has continued to expand at a rapid pace. Recent additions include locations, products, and virtual models. Google runs SGE alongside the Bard chatbot. However, SGE is only available to select users as part of the Search Labs experimental program.
