Google is reportedly revamping its search engine to become more “visual, snackable, personal, and human,” with a focus on serving younger users worldwide. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the technology giant plans to introduce more conversations with artificial intelligence (AI) and include more short video and social media posts in search results.
The shift in strategy is in response to changes in the way people access information on the internet and the growing use of AI bots like ChatGPT. The move would move Google away from its traditional format, known as the “10 blue links,” which has been in place for years.
Google plans to integrate more human voices as part of the change, supporting content creators in the same way it has done with websites in the past, according to internal documents obtained by WSJ. The company is also expected to unveil a new project at its upcoming I/O developer conference, a feature called “Magi” that allows users to carry out conversations with an AI programme.
The company’s revenue last year was more than $162 billion, and it has made minimal changes to the look and feel of its search engine in the past. However, the rise of AI chatbots and short-video apps like TikTok has forced the company to rethink its approach, especially with younger users.
Google’s new search engine strategy will focus on responding to queries that cannot be easily answered by traditional web results. The company plans to prompt visitors to ask follow-up questions or swipe through visuals, such as TikTok videos, to respond to their queries. Google has already integrated some online forum posts and short videos into search results, but it plans to emphasize such material even more in the future, according to the internal documents and people familiar with the matter.
Google executives have stressed to employees that the number of active websites has plateaued in recent years. Internet users are increasingly turning to other apps to find information on everything from popular local restaurants to advice on how to be more productive.
