Google’s making its new generative AI tools out there to extra customers, with the growth of its Search Labs early entry program, which allows individuals to check out its AI parts inside Search – and in addition highlights some attention-grabbing use circumstances for product discovery within the app.
Google had initially resisted jumping into the generative AI waters as OpenAI’s instruments gained traction, with Google’s view being that such instruments are nonetheless too liable to errors, and will find yourself spreading misinformation in consequence. However now, with OpenAI partnering with Microsoft, that’s primarily compelled Google’s hand – although it’s nonetheless being comparatively cautious in the way it implements these new parts, and integrates them with its present Search and advert choices.
Inside the new Search Labs expertise – accessible by tapping on the beaker icon within the high proper (to accredited customers) – searchers will be capable of get extra contextual info on queries, primarily based on the phrases that they enter.
As per Google:
“The new generative AI powered Search experience will help you take some of the work out of searching, so you can understand a topic faster, uncover new viewpoints and insights and get things done more easily. So instead of asking a series of questions and piecing together that information yourself, Search now can do some of that heavy lifting for you.”
So it’s very like ChatGPT, in that it’s going to offer you an summary of a subject, versus simply the search matches, although Google’s seeking to combine these outcomes into its common SERPs, which means that generative AI outcomes received’t substitute conventional Search, as such, however will supply extra pointers and steerage inside the course of.
Which additionally pertains to buying.

As you’ll be able to see on this instance, with Google’s new generative search pointers, the outcomes will show extra contextual notes in-stream, which may assist to streamline your discovery course of.
For manufacturers, that might make it extra necessary to make sure that you’re addressing long-tail queries with explainers and information in your web site, to be able to higher align with extra particular matches. As you may also see on this instance above, in contrast to ChatGPT, Google’s nonetheless seeking to spotlight related net hyperlinks – so Google’s primarily seeking to stay a key driver of referral site visitors, whereas additionally aligning with advancing generative AI traits.
It’s an attention-grabbing method, which is able to hold Google’s techniques aligned with its core enterprise, and will find yourself driving extra profit, for each Google and Search customers, in the long run.
By making certain that related hyperlinks are nonetheless the main focus, that additionally supplies extra means to double-check and make sure the data being generated, which may truly be extra helpful than the ChatGPT Q and A method. Inside that course of, ChatGPT presents its responses as truth, when they’re often not – whereas Google will nonetheless be seeking to refer customers to third-party sources, even with its generative AI prompts.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how the system develops. You may join the Search Labs waitlist at labs.google.com/search.