Search Generative Experience. How AI will change Googling

Search Generative Experience - is it the new face of Googling?

⚠️ At the outset, it is important to note that Search Generative Experience is not yet available in Poland. The technology is currently being tested in the US market.

What is Search Generative Experience? It is:

revolutionary Google search function,

the power of AI, providing users with more comprehensive and user-friendly answers to their questions,

understanding the user's intent and providing a ready-made AI-generated answer instead of a dry list of links to websites.

How does Search Generative Experience work?

SGE tries to understand user’s query. SGE analyzes user queries, going beyond keywords to understand the context and intent behind them.

The system generates a comprehensive response. Based on the query analysis, the AI creates a coherent and exhaustive statement that includes:

1. Synopsis - a concise overview of the answer.
2. Elaboration - a detailed elucidation of intricate concepts or procedures.
3. Illustrations - concrete instances exemplifying the subject matter.
4. Associated subjects - suggestions for additional research.

SGE presents the results. The generated response is displayed in a clear and engaging manner, often accompanied by relevant graphics or tables.

So what are the benefits? First of all, speed - thanks to SGE, we can get answers to our questions much faster than by searching through multiple websites; in fact, in many cases, we don't even have to visit them. It's also convenient - we don't have to analyze information ourselves. SGE also allows for a deeper understanding of complex topics.

Ultimately, Search Generative Experience will allow us to quickly and easily get answers to a wide range of complex questions, such as: 'Who invented the light bulb?', 'How does a Wankel engine work?', 'What's the difference between Android and iOS?', 'How do I fix a leaky faucet?', or 'Where's a better vacation spot for a three-year-old and a dog - Scotland or Greece?'

Why isn’t SGE in Poland or some other countries yet?

Before a new feature is released globally, Google wants to thoroughly test it in various conditions to ensure it works correctly. SGE algorithms are constantly evolving to provide more accurate and relevant responses to a diverse range of user queries. Implementing such a feature requires significant computational resources, which is why Google is rolling it out gradually. Sometimes, new features are rolled out to select users, so it's worth trying different ways of phrasing your queries - you might be one of the first to experience a response generated by SGE. It's worth following the Google blog, as the company often showcases its latest technologies.

How is SGE going to change the way we Google things?

Search Generative Experience aims to be a natural conversation with a search engine. Through this dialogue, users can learn everything they want to know and discover related questions they might have. But what does such a revolutionary change mean not only for internet users but also for content creators?

💡 Users:

Speed - much faster answers to your questions.

Convenience - no need to click through multiple pages.

Deeper understanding - SGE will provide more comprehensive and in-depth answers.

💡 Website owners and content creators:

New challenges. SGE doesn't invent answers to queries, but rather draws on internet resources and provides sources. Therefore, for websites to be well-represented in SGE results, they must provide high-quality content that directly answers specific questions.

New opportunities. SGE can increase traffic to websites that provide valuable information.

And what may those challenges be?

Ensuring information quality. There is a risk that AI-generated responses may contain errors or inaccuracies. Therefore, the information on the websites themselves must be completely accurate and supported by reliable sources.

Originality. There may be a problem with plagiarism if SGE relies too heavily on existing content.

Ethics. Questions arise regarding the responsible use of artificial intelligence and the protection of user privacy.

Can SGE ever replace "traditional" search results?

Not necessarily. While Search Generative Experience is a revolutionary change in how we use search engines, "traditional" search results in the form of lists of links to websites won't disappear entirely. Why?

People have different needs. Not everyone needs a detailed, AI-generated response. Sometimes we want to find specific information on a particular website ourselves.

Users often prefer to verify information from multiple sources to ensure its reliability.

For more complex queries that require deeper analysis, traditional search results may still be more useful. This is especially true for topics that have a real impact on people's lives, health, finances, and overall well-being - known as YMYL (Your Money, Your Life).

For niche topics that are not well-documented online, SGE may have difficulty generating valuable responses. Here, experts will still reign supreme over AI.

💡 What can change in the future?

For simple informational queries, SGE will likely become the dominant form of presenting results.

Integration - traditional search results and SGE will complement each other, creating a more comprehensive user experience.

Evolution - SGE will continue to evolve, and with it, the way we use search engines will change. It's difficult to predict what it will look like in five years, let alone ten, but content creators and website administrators must be prepared for changes and the need to adapt to the new environment.

SGE is undoubtedly the future of search, but it doesn't mean the end of traditional results. Most likely, we'll see a hybrid model where both SGE and traditional results play a significant role, based on a kind of symbiosis.

➡️ Read also: How to match content with audience expectations – and avoid Content Gap