Google has announced the expansion of its AI-powered search feature, SGE (Search Generative Experience), to India and Japan. This move marks the first expansion of the feature outside of the United States. SGE, which was first unveiled at this year’s Google I/O Developer conference, introduces a conversational mode to Google Search, allowing users to ask questions and receive answers in a chatbot-like format.
Customized Experience for India and Japan
For the newly supported regions, SGE has been customized to cater to the local market. In Japan, the generative AI feature will support the local language, while in India, it will support both English and Hindi, with a language toggle that allows users to switch between the two. Additionally, SGE is introducing voice input in India, where users can now speak their queries instead of typing them and listen to the responses.
New Feature for Discovering Web Pages
In addition to the expansion, SGE is introducing a new feature aimed at making it easier for users to find and visit the web pages that provide the information generated by the AI. Users will now see an arrow icon next to the AI-generated overview, which they can click to access the relevant web pages. This feature will initially roll out in the US and will be available in India and Japan in the coming weeks.
Key Takeaway
Google is expanding its AI-powered search feature, SGE, to India and Japan. The customized experience includes support for local languages and voice input. In addition, a new feature has been introduced to help users discover and visit the web pages that back up the information provided by the AI.
Since the launch of SGE, Google has found that the feature is particularly popular among younger users, with the highest satisfaction scores coming from those aged 18-24. Users are enjoying the conversational nature of SGE, asking longer and more detailed questions. While Google claims that users find the integrated ads useful, it did not provide specific data on click-through rates.
To access SGE, users can find it in the Search Labs section of the Google app on Android and iOS, as well as on Chrome on desktop.
