Without any official announcement, Google has prolonged its pilot project that tests the Search Generative Experience (SGE), an artificial intelligence-based search engine. Initially launched in May this year, the project was expected to conclude in December. However, Google has now confirmed its plans to continue testing the AI search engine and exploring search applications that leverage neural networks.
SGE’s Functionality and Availability
The SGE search engine generates a summary in response to user queries, drawing data from various sources. Throughout the year, Google has been actively testing the AI search engine. Initially, it had only basic capabilities and was available to users in the United States.
The service was subsequently launched in India and Japan, and last month, it was made available in 120 countries worldwide. However, Google’s AI search remains inaccessible in the European Union and Russia. Users can activate the new search format in the Search Labs section of the desktop and mobile versions of the Chrome search engine.
To demonstrate the use of SGE, Google in their blog shows that users can create unique images through text prompts.
For example, searching for “draw a picture of a capybara wearing a chef’s hat and cooking breakfast” will provide AI-generated images in the search results.
User Reactions to SGE: Kind of mixed
The response to SGE’s introduction has been mixed. In September, Google stated that young users aged 18 to 24 found its AI search engine “particularly useful.” However, not everyone was pleased with SGE’s performance, as indicated by negative reviews on Reddit and other platforms.
Despite this, Google continues to confidently develop SGE, expanding the service’s availability and enhancing its features. For instance, one of the recently introduced features in SGE is the built-in image generator.
Let us know what are your thoughts on the Google SGE project in the comments below.