Google is exploring the thought of introducing “premium” options powered by generative AI to its search engine. This potential shift, as per The Financial Times, marks the primary time Google would place AI-generated parts of its core search performance behind a paywall, signaling a big pivot from its conventional ad-supported mannequin.
For practically twenty years, Google has dominated the search engine market, offering free entry to info whereas producing income via ads. However, the arrival of generative AI applied sciences, epitomized by the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has prompted Google to rethink its technique. ChatGPT’s capacity to ship concise, full solutions poses a direct problem to the traditional search engine format, which depends on directing customers to exterior web sites, together with these of advertisers.
Google’s response to this aggressive stress has been twofold. The firm started testing an AI-powered search service that provides extra detailed solutions to consumer queries whereas sustaining the normal mannequin of presenting hyperlinks and ads. This “Search Generative Experience” (SGE), nonetheless in an experimental section, leverages AI to supply “AI-powered snapshots” of data, a course of that calls for considerably extra computing sources than customary search responses.
The introduction of premium, AI-enhanced search options can be included into Google’s current subscription companies, such because the Google One bundle, which already contains entry to the Gemini AI assistant in Gmail and Docs. This strategy would keep the free availability of Google’s conventional search engine and commercial show, thus preserving its main income stream whereas providing enhanced companies to these prepared to pay.
Google’s deliberation over premium AI search options happens in a broader context of technological evolution and market competitors. Microsoft, via its partnership with OpenAI, has already built-in GPT-powered search capabilities and the chatbot Copilot into its Bing search engine. Despite these developments, Bing’s market share stays considerably decrease than Google’s, underscoring the problem of remodeling AI capabilities into market dominance.