Google Launches Dialogue Feature and Bard Chatbot for Enhanced Search

Yesterday, Google launched the dialogue feature for its search engine, introducing Bard, an English-speaking chatbot. This move showcases Google's ongoing competition with Microsoft and an increasing number of startups to win consumer favor with their artificial intelligence products.

Google refers to this moment as a new era for search and has released a series of features called Search Generation Experiences. These features utilize AI programs to provide longer summaries in response to a range of queries. Users are invited to ask follow-up questions, opening up new interfaces that allow for more conversation with the search engine.

Rather than an immediate release, Google has established a waiting list for access to this product under a new experimental project called Search Labs.

During Google's I/O Developer Conference, the company made a series of announcements focusing on AI capabilities. This conference is Google's largest annual showcase for new products. There are concerns that services such as ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by OpenAI with support from Microsoft, may erode Google's dominant position in search and online advertising.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company, stated during the conference's opening speech, "Looking ahead, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to help everyone is the best way to advance our mission."

Google announced that Bard is currently available for free in over 180 countries and regions in English, with support for 40 languages, including Japanese and Korean, coming soon. Previously, users could only access this chatbot through application requests.

Google's flagship AI program, PaLM 2, will be used in 25 of the company's products, including Bard and search functionalities. Additionally, Google will begin selling foldable smartphones, claiming them to be the thinnest foldable phones to date.

Google has consistently improved its search engine to counter various threats, from AI chatbots like ChatGPT to short video app TikTok. Last week, Microsoft removed the waiting list for its Bing search engine, which utilizes the underlying technology of ChatGPT for dialogue support.

On Wednesday, Google also launched a search feature that displays forum posts and videos from websites like TikTok under a labeled tab called "Perspectives." It is reported that the company plans to highlight this content in the future as part of its efforts to make the search engine more visual, user-friendly, personalized, and humane.

These changes will further distance Google's search results from traditional lists of blue links, often referred to as "10 blue links." Liz Reid, Vice President of the Google Search team, said, "The future of search is combining the essence of search with the essence of artificial intelligence. It's not an either-or choice."

Google stated that the new AI search features will include labeled ads in dedicated positions. Last year, ads on the search engine and other Google websites generated $162 billion in revenue, representing the majority of Alphabet's sales.

Google employees are currently testing a new AI search feature codenamed "Magi" before rolling it out to users in the coming weeks. Initially, it will only be available on Google's Chrome desktop browser and the company's mobile application.