Google is taking a cautious approach to the launch of its new Search Generative Experience (SGE), which uses artificial intelligence to generate answers to user queries. According to a recent report, SGE began to appear in Google search results much less often – whereas previously it appeared in answers to 70% of queries, now this figure has decreased significantly.
Reduced Frequency and Conciseness
This decline is especially unexpected given the rumors about the imminent full launch of SGE. Google was expected to announce SGE search to a wider audience during its Google I/O conference in May. However, it seems the company has decided to slow down the rollout of this technology and conduct more tests.
The reasons for Google’s caution are clear. SGE radically changes the principle of operation of the search engine, since whereas previously Google simply found and ranked content that already existed on the Internet, now the system itself becomes capable of generating answers based on accumulated knowledge. This opens up new opportunities for users, but also creates risks.
In particular, many SEOs are concerned that their sites may lose traffic due to competition from Google’s AI-generated responses. The company likely understands this and is committed to mitigating such risks before SGE becomes available by default to all users.
In addition to reducing the frequency of SGE, Google has also reduced the amount of information the technology provides in responses. If earlier SGE could generate multi-line texts, now the answers have become more concise, which also indicates a cautious approach.
Future Implications and Preparation
However, most experts are confident that the full launch of SGE is only a matter of time. According to their forecasts, this could happen as early as 2024. For businesses that rely on organic search traffic, it is critical to stay on top of SGE developments and adapt their SEO strategy to the new reality, taking into account the power of artificial intelligence. In particular, the concept of AIO (AI Optimization) appears, which stands for content optimization for generative search algorithms.
So, although the full-scale launch of SGE has been delayed for now, Google certainly wants to move in this direction and is thoroughly testing the technology to minimize any risks. And businesses now need to actively prepare for the new reality of AI search, notes NIX Solutions.
We’ll keep you updated on any further developments regarding Google’s Search Generative Experience. Stay tuned for more information.
Google SGE is available through Google Search Lab, which is offered in 7 languages in approximately 120 countries. How to access SGE through the Chrome browser is explained in detail on Brightedge.com.