Google Expands AI-Powered Search to Over 120 Countries, Territories

Google is now expanding its AI-powered search experience, making it available in more than 120 new countries and territories. The feature, called Search Generative Experience (SGE), aims to offer users faster and more efficient access to information with the help of artificial intelligence.

This expansion is a response to initial launches in select markets, including the United States, India, and Japan. It aims to provide a more inclusive and accessible search experience to a global audience.

"Now, in our largest global expansion yet, we're bringing generative AI in Search to more than 120 new countries and territories, along with support for four new languages," Hema Budaraju, Senior Director of Product Management of Search at Google, said in a blog post.

"And we're introducing a few upgrades, launching first in the U.S., that will make SGE more interactive as you search - including easier follow-ups, AI-powered translation help, and more definitions for topics like coding," she added.

Google AI-Powered Search

The SGE utilizes generative AI to offer users comprehensive overviews that aggregate the most relevant information related to their search queries.

This development represents a leap forward in search technology, enabling a broader range of information needs to be met with multiple perspectives. Users can expect to see a wider array of links and sources on the results page, enhancing the discoverability of content.

According to a statement released by Google, the response to generative AI in Search has been overwhelmingly positive in the countries where it was initially launched. Users have found the feature particularly valuable for tackling complex questions they might not have thought to search for otherwise.

One of the key upgrades introduced with this expansion is the ability to ask follow-up questions directly from the search results page. This enhancement was added to provide a more natural and interactive search experience.

Additionally, the expansion of generative AI in Search includes support for four new languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, and Indonesian. This multilingual capability aims to cater to a diverse global audience, ensuring users can access information in their preferred language.

Search Labs on Google App

The introduction of Search Labs, a platform for testing early-stage experiments on Search, is another significant development accompanying this expansion. This feature will be available on both the Google app for Android and iOS, as well as on Chrome desktop.

Users can opt into the SGE experiment within Search Labs, opening up a new way to explore the capabilities of generative AI. To enhance the accuracy of translations, Google is implementing a feature that allows users to indicate the specific meaning of potentially ambiguous words.

This improvement is particularly relevant for languages where a single word can have multiple interpretations. Users can select the context that aligns with their intended message by underlining such words in the translation.