What you need to know
- Google confirms it has begun a test with non-enrolled SGE users, giving them access to its AI previews in Search.
- The company said it is eager to gather feedback from the general public on where it needs to improve its generative artificial intelligence.
- Google brought AI previews through Lens to its main Android app in January, and its newly appointed head of search, Liz Reid, has said she wants more AI in the engine.
Google is reportedly expanding the reach of its SGE test to include US users who haven’t signed up for its beta environment.
According to SearchEngineLand, users outside of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) environment have noticed the new AI features (via 9to5Google ). Non-SGE search users should soon notice its AI previews when running a query through the engine.
Google confirmed to the publication that it is “starting with a set of queries for which it thinks generative artificial intelligence can be particularly useful.” The company is adding its augmented generative AI test, which focuses on complex user questions that will prompt its AI to search multiple sources on the web.
Google commented that the purpose of expanding the test was to gather feedback from the general public.
The company says it is “confident” that the value and quality its SGE feature brings will help the end user. Moreover, these AI previews may not appear in a widespread way for most Google search users.
Google is testing several variations of its generative AI experience, and only a “small subset” of US users will see it. 9to5 adds that this test will also include those who have not logged into Google.
Google launched Search Labs in May 2023, and the test environment brought a host of generative AI features for users to test. One notable feature was the way users could ask the AI an additional question for additional information about the answer to the query. AI has also been seen to prompt users to consider certain technology-related factors, such as battery life or other aspects of quality.
The company introduced AI previews to Google’s main Android app with Circle to Search. Previews are present during moments of multiple searches through Lens, giving users access to a wealth of information gathered about the topic and AI sources.
More AI and SGE tests are on the horizon for Search as Google named Liz Reid as its new head on March 19. Reid touted a background in AI at Google before moving on to lead Search using the company’s generative AI software. During her announcement, Reid stated that Search will implement more SGE and AI reviews, focusing on its ability to understand context-rich queries.
The test we’re seeing now for unenrolled SGE users sings a similar tune, meaning we’re probably one step away from those AI additions.