Google has been in business for more than two decades.
And that many years have given it enough experience and knowledge in redefining what a search engine can do. In its mission to "organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful," Google is introducing two updates to its hugely popular Google Search search engine.
"As part of this evolution, we’ve made it easier to express what you’re looking for in ways that are more natural and intuitive," said Google.
Previously, users can search with their voice, and that they can also search using their camera using Google Lens.
More recently, Google has been testing how generative AI can be used to understand natural language to allow users ask questions on Search in a more natural way.
Welcoming new year, the company said in a blog post, that is bringing this vision closer to reality, by introducing "new ways to search in 2024."
Today, we’re introducing two updates to help you search any way, anywhere you want:
Circle to Search, a new way to search on Android
Gen AI-powered multisearch, so you can ask more complex questions about what you see ↓https://t.co/Il48xd4UJX— Google (@Google) January 17, 2024
Google introduces two updates to both Google Search app and Search Creative Experience (SGE):
- Circle to Search, touted as a "new way to search on Android."
- Generative AI-powered multisearch, which allows users to "ask more complex questions about what you see."
First one up, Circle to Search, is how Google wants users to use their Android phone to search for anything.
"Now, with a simple gesture, you can select what you’re curious about in whatever way comes naturally to you — like circling, highlighting, scribbling or tapping — and get more information right where you are," explained Google in a separate blog post.
In the modern age of mobile internet, people's smartphones have become the window to the world's information.
People use it to do anything from exploring their passion, solve a problem, buy the perfect gift, learn a new skill or simply find a reason to smile. The thing is, according to Google, people that "truly immersed in a moment of discovery or exploration," they can feel. disruptive when they have to stop what they're doing.
Even if that is as simple as switching to another app to learn more about what they're looking for.
Circle to Search is where Google wants users to highlight or scribble what they see on Google, to learn more.
Google touted it as "a new way to search anything on your Android phone without switching apps."
This second update is built on top of of Google Lens.
Google first introduced multisearch on Google Lens in 2022 so users can get more search results by including one image or text.
For example, users can use Google Lens to then insert a picture of a desired shirt to find where to buy that specific shirt. And if the color doesn't match their wish, they can look for other colors using the Search feature.
Google realizes that this capability is very useful for improving search results, decides to use generative AI to help improve Google Lens.
With the update, users can take pictures of objects or upload images, to then ask questions related to the image.
To use this feature, users have to opt into the SGE experiment.
"We’ve gotten lots of useful feedback from people who’ve chosen to join this experiment, and we’ll continue to offer SGE in Labs as a testbed for bold new ideas," said Google.