Google’s foray into AI-generated search answers has raised concerns among publishers who fear a decline in their website traffic and revenue. The search engine giant has begun testing this feature in the UK after a successful trial in the US. While Microsoft’s competitor, Bing, already integrates its Copilot AI, publishers worry that the AI-generated answers will satisfy users without the need to click on their websites, leading to a decrease in visits, links, and ads. Google’s “Search Generative Experience” has been available in the US for almost a year, but only to users who signed up via Google Labs. The UK experiment will involve a selected few logged-in users. However, it is worth noting that Google has denied any plans for an ad-free search experience, emphasizing that the new search results will still display links and ads.
Hema Budaraju, a key figure in Google’s generative AI efforts in search, has stated that driving traffic to creators remains a priority. She claims the AI-powered search results are actually showing more links to a wider range of sources than before. Budaraju believes the new feature provides value to users as they can receive helpful overviews in response to specific queries. For example, users searching for “how to get marks off painted walls” have found the AI-generated answer useful. However, Google acknowledges the risk associated with AI systems that generate harmful, biased, or inaccurate content. Budaraju emphasizes that Google aims to maintain information quality and make answers less fluent and more constrained to prioritize accuracy. AI-generated answers will only be provided for queries with sufficient high-quality sources, and user feedback is encouraged as part of the experiment.
While the response from US users has been positive thus far, the widespread adoption of AI-generated search answers could pose challenges. Researchers have highlighted concerns about the significant amount of electricity needed to power large AI systems, which comes at an environmental cost. Furthermore, publishers remain cautious about the potential impact on their website traffic and revenue streams.
As Google continues its experimentation with AI-generated search answers, the company is committed to addressing bias and safety issues. Budaraju affirms that Google will invest in making the feature better based on user feedback. While the trial’s success could potentially impact billions of people, it is crucial for Google to navigate these challenges responsibly.
The integration of AI into search experiences has inherent benefits and drawbacks. While AI-generated answers enhance convenience and provide users with valuable summaries, it is crucial to strike a balance that supports publishers and maintains information quality. Google’s ongoing efforts in this area aim to address these concerns while delivering a highly effective and responsible search experience.
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