The change is no longer related only to the algorithms or the ranking of results, but rather to the way the user interacts with the search engine itself. Instead of simply displaying links to different sites, the search will provide direct answers, which could be text, images, videos, or even interactive pages and widgets.
Thus, Google transforms from a traditional archiving engine into an intermediary between the user and the sources, understanding the question, then extracting the information and displaying it in the form it deems most appropriate.
Technical reports say that the new search box is now able to understand complex questions, so that the user can, for example, request a phone with specific specifications related to price, battery, screen, and space, instead of writing short keywords.
The user will also be able to continue the dialogue with the search, and request additional clarifications or other options, in an experience closer to dealing with chat tools supported by artificial intelligence.
Google is also betting on artificial intelligence agents within search, so that the user can request to follow up on a specific topic or be alerted when new information related to it appears, but in a more accurate way than the old “Google Alert” service, which relied on keywords.
On the other hand, this shift raises widespread concerns among websites and companies that rely on search engine traffic, as providing answers directly may lead to a decline in clicks on original links.
The change also raises a larger question about the diversity of sources, as the user may find himself only presented with information that the artificial intelligence chooses to display, instead of seeing a wide range of links and opinions.
As the problem of errors or “hallucinations” of artificial intelligence continues, the most prominent question becomes: Will Google remain a gateway to the Internet, or will it turn into a body that decides what the user sees? (Al Jazeera)
