This Popular Google Search Feature Will No Longer Be Free!
Google is now considering setting fees for features that are currently popular.
Report from the Financial Times, as quoted from Android Authority, Friday (5/4/2024), the company is exploring ways to offer premium features supported by artificial intelligence (AI) in Google Search products for a certain fee.
According to the report, Google is considering that this AI-powered advanced search feature could be part of Google's existing subscription services such as Gemini Advanced or Google One.
The report indicates that the premium version of Google Search will continue to include ads.
This potential overhaul appears to stem from Google's need to balance two priorities, namely integrating cutting-edge AI into its search experience while maintaining profitable advertising revenue.
The company's search-related advertising revenue of USD 175 billion last year underscores Google's top line of revenue.
Meanwhile, the rise of OpenAI's ChatGPT has pushed Google into a race to dominate the AI market.
Google Tests AI Search Generative Experience (SGE) Service
Google began testing its AI-powered search service, known as Search Generative Experience (SGE), in May last year.
SGE offers AI-powered summaries and responses to questions, along with presentations on links and ads.
However, the company has been slow to incorporate SGE features into its main search engine, due to the high computational costs associated with generative AI models.
Although SGE offers potential benefits to users, it also challenges the foundation of Google's current business model.
AI's ability to provide comprehensive answers could lead to a decrease in user clicks on website links, resulting in fewer ad impressions and potentially jeopardizing Google's main source of revenue.
The report further claims that Google engineers have developed this technology, but a conclusive decision and launch schedule is still uncertain.
Google's Circle to Search feature will be able to translate languages
Meanwhile, Google is expanding the AI Circle to Search feature to be able to translate languages.
Interestingly, the upcoming language translation component does not require circle images. Google says users only need to long press the home button or navigation bar and look for the translation icon.
Google Translate itself can do this, although in a slightly different way. The update means users don't have to leave one app and open another just to check something.
The translation tool starts rolling out in the next few weeks, though only for Android devices that can run Circle to Search.
These devices include the Google Pixel 7, Pixel 8, and Samsung Galaxy S24 series, among others, as well as several premium Galaxy phone and tablet models.
Google Maps is also getting a refresh, with an emphasis on AI. When a user opens a place in Maps, such as a restaurant, AI displays a summary describing the interesting or unique place and what people like about it.
Google AI Can Predict Floods Seven Days Before They Occur
On the other hand, Google's sophisticated AI is even able to predict the arrival of floods even seven days before the event.
Quoted from Engadget, this internet giant has studied flood predictions by training their machine learning models with all kinds of related data.
The data used for AI includes location history, river level readings, height and terrain readings, and much more.
After studying the existing data, Google creates local maps and runs various simulations at each location.
This combination of techniques allows their machine learning models to accurately predict future floods. Google hopes to apply these disaster predictions to more countries.
Nevertheless, Google believes that it has improved the reliability of currently available global weather forecasts.
Google is also improving flood predictions in developing countries, such as parts of the African and Asian continents.