Google has introduced Search Generative Experience (SGE), an experimental version of its search engine that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) answers directly into search results. According to a blog post published, this new feature aims to provide users with novel answers generated by Google's advanced language model, similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Unlike traditional search results with blue links, SGE utilizes AI to display answers directly on the Google Search webpage, expanding in a green or blue box upon entering a query.

The information provided by SGE is derived from various websites and sources that were referenced during the generation of the answer. Users can also ask follow-up questions within SGE to obtain more precise results.

It's crucial to keep in mind that SGE is now unavailable to the general public and involves joining up for Google's Search Labs, which is only accessible to a small number of people in the United States and only in English. However, interested users can sign up for the waitlist to be alerted when access becomes accessible. The Chrome desktop web browser and the Google apps for Android and iOS both provide access to SGE.

While Google has not responded to requests for comment, the integration of generative AI capabilities into products has gained momentum since the introduction of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot capable of providing unique answers to a wide range of questions. In a similar vein, Google recently introduced Bard, its own AI chatbot resembling ChatGPT.

Microsoft has also followed suit by incorporating ChatGPT into Bing, accompanied by an AI image generator powered by Dall-E, another OpenAI creation. These AI chatbots leverage large language models (LLMs) that utilize extensive text data to generate human-like sentences. The models excel at predicting the most appropriate words to include, a process often likened to "autocomplete on steroids."

Furthermore, AI was a prominent topic at Google I/O, the company's annual developers conference, with the term being mentioned over 140 times during the two-hour presentation.

At the event, Cathy Edwards, Google's Vice President of Engineering, emphasized that conventional Google Search often requires users to fragment complex queries into multiple questions, manually search through websites for information, and mentally assemble the final answer. SGE aims to alleviate these challenges by allowing the AI to handle these tasks on behalf of the user.

Follow these steps to sign up for Google Search Labs' waitlist and become one of the first to test SGE:

• Open the Chrome browser on your computer or the Google App on your smartphone.
• Log in to your Google account by going there.
• Open a new tab in your browser.
• If there is a Labs button available for you to click, do so at the upper right of the screen.
• Click the Labs symbol if it's present, then choose "Join Waitlist."
• Once Labs are available, an email will be sent to you as a notification.

SGE is part of Search Labs and encompasses experimental features such as Code Tips, which provides coding suggestions directly within the search results, and Add to Sheets, a functionality that automatically imports relevant information from search results into Google Sheets.

For users granted early access to SGE, Google emphasizes the importance of acknowledging its privacy notice. It also advises against including sensitive or confidential personal information that could potentially identify you or others during interactions with SGE features.

Although human reviewers may analyze some data during this trial period, the data will be stored in a manner that is not linked to your Google account. Additionally, interactions can be deleted through the My Activity page.

Google acknowledges the limitations of generative AI and warns that its accuracy may vary. This cautionary note likely pertains to the issue of "hallucinations" observed in generative AI systems, where they may confidently provide inaccurate information. Therefore, Google advises users not to rely on generative AI for medical, legal, financial, or other professional services.