Google has announced a major AI-powered update to its search engine, taking a significant step forward in its integration of artificial intelligence. The update encompasses a range of improvements, including enhanced capabilities for Google Lens, a richer search results page, and the introduction of AI Overviews with paid ads.
Earlier this year, Google integrated generative AI into its Lens app, allowing users to identify objects within photos and get relevant information. Now, Google is expanding this functionality to video clips. With the new update, you can use Lens to search by taking a video and asking questions about the moving objects you see. This could be used for things like identifying fish in an aquarium or even analyzing your favorite NFL team’s previous play. To access this feature, available globally in English, navigate to the Search Lab in the Google App for iOS and Android and enroll in the “AI Overviews and more” experiment.
The update also simplifies the search process by allowing voice questions. You can simply speak your query as you take a picture or video, eliminating the need to fumble around on your touchscreen in dimly lit environments.
Google Lens’s shopping capabilities are also getting a makeover. In addition to showing visually similar products from retailers, Lens will now provide richer information, including product reviews, price comparisons, and where to buy the item.
Perhaps surprisingly, Circle to Search can now find music for you. If you come across a music video on social media that you want more information on, you can swipe a circle over it, and Lens will search the web for information about the track, saving you the hassle of remembering the band name.
Google is also using AI to reorganize its search results page, making it easier for users to explore content and perspectives from across the web, including articles, videos, and forums. This reorganization process includes the incorporation of paid ads within AI Overviews on mobile devices.
Finally, Google is introducing a new design for its AI Overview feature, highlighting prominent links within the overview text that point back to the supporting webpages. This change aims to drive traffic to the websites Google scrapes for AI content and make it easier for users to visit sites of interest.
The new Overview design is being rolled out globally starting today.
