For 25 years, consumers have grown accustomed to the mechanics of a traditional “Google Search,” expecting to be met with either a Wikipedia sourced blurb or pages filled with blue-links that hopefully encompass the initial inquiry’s search terms. 

However, when Google first introduced Search Labs (“Labs”), a new way to access early experiments in Search earlier this month, its teaser of its Search Generative Experience (SGE), it presented an interesting question in multimodal searching and whether targeted AI results could be a game changer in the future of Search?

What is “Search Generative Experience?”

On Wednesday, Google announced that it has begun opening up access to Labs, its newest program dedicated to providing certain users (via a waitlist sign up) with early access to Google experiments. 

“Search Generative Experience,” or “SGE,” is the newest feature offered by Labs that essentially transforms our multimodal Google Search experience into an AI-powered snapshot that provides a summary at the top of search results across Google.

Rather than being met with that Wikipedia blurb or pages of blue hyperlinks to potential sources, Google will start to generate paragraphs of the most relevant information that have been collected across numerous sources, while offering you a few links if a user wants to dive deeper.

How Will Your Searches Change?

#1 – Get a Snapshot of What You’re Looking At – Before You Get too Deep

Whether you’re looking to familiarize yourself with a new topic or getting those key take-aways, SGE will enable you to “map out” their brainstorming by providing an AI-powered snapshot so you can get a quick, informative breakdown of what factors you need to consider. 

For example, if you’re trying to wrap your head around what it takes to “learn ukulele vs. guitar,” Search will provide that AI-powered snapshot that helps you better understand what factors to consider when determining which instrument may be best suited for your comfort level.

#2 – For Specific Questions, Get Those Key Takeaways

For questions that are more specific and targeted, SGE will provide an array of key pointers and a range of options that enables you to get closer to your answer. 

Below the snapshot, you will see suggested next steps, including the ability to ask follow-up questions, like “How long to spend at Bryce Canyon with kids?” When you tap on these, it takes you to a new conversational mode, where you can ask Google more about the topic you’re exploring.

Context will be carried over from question to question, to help you more naturally continue your exploration. You’ll also find helpful jumping-off points to web content and a range of perspectives that you can dig into.

Another example includes search inquiries such as starting your own business and “the benefits of incorporating your business before freelancing” or “what you need in order to renew your passport” – that snapshot will help outline what those benefits are and what you need to do, followed with additional links to articles that may expand upon those benefits. 

#3 – Shop Smarter with Google’s Shopping Graph

Built on Google’s Shopping Graph, the new generative AI shopping experience will provide users with a snapshot of noteworthy factors to consider and products that fit the bill when searching for a particular product – in addition to product descriptions that include up-to-date reviews, ratings, prices, and product images.

With over 35 billion product listings, Shopping Graph, according to the company’s blog post is considered to be “the world’s most comprehensive dataset of constantly-changing products, sellers, brands, reviews, and inventory.” with more than 1.8 billion listings refreshed in Shopping Graph every hour to help provide users with the most reliable results. 

The Value of SEO is About to Go Up

The Verge has already hinted at SGE possibly being “the biggest change in the history of Google Search,” that could also have huge ramifications for how people search and what they search for. 

From an SEO perspective, the demand to have particular content show up in Google’s AI snapshot will completely revolutionize how we currently view analytics and what appears in Google’s algorithm – including Google News.

Google also notes that SGE will not provide an AI snapshot when there’s a lack of information or Google has low confidence in its response, to help minimize spreading misinformation. 

Wednesday’s announcement comes just after Microsoft announced its latest developments in a series of AI-related updates from its annual flagship Build conference.

In other news, read about Microsoft integrating Bing into ChatGPT in the ongoing AI race against Google.