Introduction to Google’s New AI Features
Google has recently introduced two new AI-powered features: AI Mode and the addition of search history to its Gemini chatbot. These features aim to provide users with more advanced and personalized search results.
What is AI Mode?
AI Mode is a new Search mode that expands on what AI Overviews can do, with more advanced reasoning, thinking, and multimodal capabilities. This feature allows users to get help with even their toughest questions. Rather than providing a brief overview with links out, the AI will dig in and offer more robust answers. Users can also ask follow-up questions, something AI Overviews doesn’t support.
Gemini Chatbot Updates
The second change is the addition of search history to Google’s Gemini chatbot, with promises of even more personalization on the way. This update allows Gemini to connect with Google apps and services, starting with Search, to provide responses that are uniquely insightful and directly address user needs.
Comparison to Other AI Models
Much of what these new features are doing, especially AI Mode’s ability to ask follow-up questions and go deep, feels like hitting feature parity with what ChatGPT has been doing for months. It’s also been compared to Perplexity, another generative AI search engine startup. However, neither feature feels like something fresh and new, nor do they feel innovative.
Limitations and Concerns
ChatGPT has long been building user histories and using the information it has to deliver results. While Gemini could also remember things about you, it’s surprising that Google has taken this long to bring in signals from its other products. Obviously, there are privacy concerns to field, but this is an opt-in product. Furthermore, ChatGPT is just better at this stuff, providing more insightful and thoughtful profiles based on user interactions.
Example: ChatGPT vs. Google
For example, when asked "What do you know about me?", ChatGPT replied with a really insightful profile based on interactions with it. Google, despite having decades of user data, mostly spat back a profile that seems more suited to an advertiser than a person hoping for useful tailored results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Google’s new AI features are a step in the right direction, they don’t feel particularly innovative or new. They seem to be playing catch-up with other AI models like ChatGPT, which has been providing more advanced and personalized results for months. Google still has a long way to go in terms of providing truly personalized and useful results.
FAQs
- Q: What is AI Mode?
A: AI Mode is a new Search mode that provides more advanced reasoning, thinking, and multimodal capabilities to help users with their toughest questions. - Q: What is the Gemini chatbot update?
A: The Gemini chatbot update adds search history to the chatbot, allowing it to provide more personalized and insightful responses. - Q: How does Google’s AI compare to ChatGPT?
A: ChatGPT seems to be more advanced and better at providing personalized results, despite Google having more user data. - Q: Are these features available to everyone?
A: Currently, AI Mode is only available to people with paid accounts, and only via the experimental sandbox of Search Labs.
