As Google strives to stay ahead in the competitive search market, CEO Sundar Pichai has revealed plans to incorporate conversational AI into its flagship product, Search. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Pichai confirmed that users will be able to ask questions and engage with large language models (LLMs) in the context of search.
This move comes in response to Microsoft’s recent release of a version of Bing powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI engine, which caught Google off guard. With Google’s dominant 93.4 percent share of the worldwide search market, the implementation of conversational AI features in Search could have a significant impact on the industry. Pichai, however, sees it as an opportunity to expand Google’s search business, rather than a threat.
Despite Google’s earlier release of its own conversational AI called Bard, which was limited to a standalone chat product, it fell short compared to ChatGPT in terms of accuracy and capabilities. Pichai acknowledged this and mentioned that Google plans to switch to a more “capable” language model to close the gap.
While Google is currently undergoing job cuts to increase productivity, it is also accelerating its efforts in developing new AI products. Pichai emphasized the importance of collaboration between Google Brain and DeepMind, its two primary AI units, to drive more efficient and scalable AI initiatives.
Although Pichai did not provide a specific timeline for the incorporation of conversational AI into Google Search, it is evident that Google is actively working towards catching up with its rivals and staying at the forefront of AI-driven search technologies. The competition in the search market is heating up, and Google’s strategic move to integrate conversational AI into its flagship product reflects its commitment to maintaining its leadership position in the industry.
