Photo: Koshiro Kiyota via Getty Images
‘The feature continues to be optional, at least for now.’
Google Expands SGE Program to Japanese and Indian Markets
Google has been integrating its expertise in search with its newfound focus on generative AI through Search Lab’s Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) project since mid-May. Recently, the company announced that the SGE program will now be available in the Japanese and Indian markets, expanding beyond its initial launch in the United States.
SGE is Google’s response to Microsoft’s Bing AI and offers summarized and curated answers to user prompts instead of simply providing a list of web pages. Unlike Microsoft’s approach of running AI as a separate chatbot assistant, Google has directly incorporated its AI into the existing search bar. The SGE program was initially rolled out to US users in late May, and now, it has been introduced to users in India and Japan.
In Japan, the AI-enhanced search feature will be available in Japanese, while in India, it will be accessible in both English and Hindi. According to a blog post on Google Search, the company is also launching voice input functionality, allowing users to speak their queries instead of typing them and receive audio responses. The blog post also mentions that search ads will continue to appear in dedicated ad slots on the page.
Google claims that users have had a positive experience with SGE, particularly when seeking help with complex queries and asking new types of questions. The company highlights that 18-24 year olds have given the highest satisfaction scores for SGE. However, Google did not provide specific data to support these claims.
While generative AI systems like ChatGPT gained immense popularity following their release last November, concerns have arisen regarding the potential misuse of this technology. Instances of online scams utilizing generative AI have already been reported, prompting attention from federal regulators and Congress, who seek to address these issues and prevent harm to consumers.