This article is a condensed and lightly edited version of Philipp Schindler’s opening remarks at this year’s Google Marketing Live (GML).
Our industry is in a transformative moment. There have been others, but this moment is perhaps the most transformative one yet. Of course, I’m referring to the new era of AI.
I talk about this AI transformation every day with business leaders around the world. A few years ago, these conversations were focused on what AI is and how it works. Now, they’re about how to put AI to work as fast as possible — to help teams be more productive, to help marketers find valuable customers, and to drive profitability.
Larry Page once said, “The perfect search engine should understand exactly what you mean and give you back exactly what you need.” For 25 years, that’s exactly what we’ve focused on. But this work is never truly done, and we love that.
Generative AI is allowing people to search in ways never before possible.
And now, with our new Gemini model customized for Google Search, the Google Search you love will do more for you than you ever imagined.
Last year, we started experimenting with AI Overviews in Search Labs and have since served billions of queries with this experience. It gives users more for each single search — a quick overview of the topic with a range of perspectives and links to dive deeper on the web. That’s why we’re excited to announce that AI Overviews are rolling out to everyone in the U.S., with more countries coming soon.
But this is just the first step. User demands and expectations for Search are changing, and generative AI is allowing people to search in ways never before possible. We’re seeing it play out in four trends.
Trend 1: The “exactly-what-I-want” search
Now, with generative AI, it’s easier to get help finding anything, no matter how specific. Over the last six months, the volume of searches with five or more words grew 1.5X as fast as shorter queries compared to the same time period last year.1
Not long ago, if you were looking for running shoes, you would have just searched “men’s running shoes,” compared prices, and read reviews. Now you can search “how to pick the right men’s running shoe for beginners with high arches.” All of this additional context helps us better match intent for your business. A more precise answer, with highly relevant links, should drive you to a more qualified and engaged audience.
Trend 2: Complex search made easy
We can now start to handle very complex requests and help with planning searches that would typically involve many steps. Like, “what are good options for a day out in dallas with the kids? recommend some ice cream shops near each option.”
In the past, this would have involved multiple searches and trying to piece together all the information yourself. Now, with Gemini, what was a time-consuming request can take seconds. And, because it’s drawing on real-time information and expertise across the web, the results — including rating, reviews, and business hours — will be fundamentally fresh and include the highest-quality information out there.
Trend 3: Search beyond words
Sometimes, the quickest way to get help isn’t with a typed search at all. Eighty two percent of consumers say they’d find it helpful if AI allowed them to search for things that are difficult to describe.2 Like that strange vegetable at the farmers market. Or that hand-painted pottery you found in Portugal, but have no room for in your carry-on.
We’re seeing 12 billion visual searches a month using Google Lens. Soon, you’ll be able to search with video — thanks to our latest advances in video understanding — so you can truly search anything you can see.
And, with innovations like Circle to Search, which was inspired by user behavior, you can search anything on your screen with just a circle, highlight, scribble, or tap. We had been seeing lots of users, especially Gen Zers, grabbing screenshots from YouTube and other social platforms and uploading them onto Lens. Now people can do this effortlessly.
Trend 4: Search beyond answers
Sometimes people aren’t looking for fast answers; they’re looking to explore, to discover, and to be inspired. Consumers are turning to Google to explore options. For example, search interest for “outfit ideas,” “best places to eat with kids,” and “rainy day activities” all experienced double-digit growth on average year over year.3
When people come to Search for ideas, they’ll get more than an AI-generated answer. They’ll get an entire AI-organized page, custom-built for them and their question.
When people come to Search for ideas, they’ll get an entire AI-organized page, custom-built for them and their question.
Someone visiting Monterey, California, might start with a broad, open-ended search like “fun places to eat in monterey.” Now they’ll get a newly organized Search page with different clusters that help them discover new angles. They can read or watch reviews about what critics have to say. Or explore ideas — like “places with sunset views” or “seafood havens” — that they might never have thought of alone.
Your ads will be an essential part of the new Search experience — with even more ways for your business to be discovered.
But you can’t talk about discovery without talking about YouTube. YouTube is the No. 1 most-watched streaming platform in the U.S.— and has been for the last 12 months, according to Nielsen. And, for the creators who make up the heart of YouTube, generative AI is the next playground. It will further democratize the creation of amazing content, helping everyone raise the bar on creativity and quality.
We now have a suite of generative AI tools designed by engineers and creators for creators: Imagen 3, our most powerful text-to-image model yet; Music AI Sandbox, a playground for musical innovation; and Veo, our cutting-edge video generation model. Soon we’ll bring Veo to YouTube Shorts, opening up a whole new world of creative possibilities for you and your brands.
Just imagine: every creator with the power of AI in their pocket. That means more creators, creating more quality content that attracts more viewers — which means more reach, engagement, and ROI for you.
That’s our focus and our commitment to you. Not just to build a better search engine. Not just to build a better YouTube. But to open up new opportunities for your business. And more ways to get your business in front of the right customers — at speed and scale — in this new era of AI.
