Google’s generative AI-powered search goes global, expands to over 120 countries
A few months ago, Google brought generative AI to its core search engine with Search Generative Experience (SGE) – at that time, it was available to a handful of countries. Now, the tech titan is bringing it to more users across the globe with the global expansion of its Search Generative Experience (SGE) feature, introducing generative AI to over 120 new countries and territories. Once SGE rolls out, millions of individuals who were previously excluded from enjoying the benefits of AI-driven search experiences will now be able to access these features and enjoy a more versatile search experience.
Google says, that this expansion not only diversifies the regions with access to SGE but also embraces linguistic diversity, with the addition of four new languages — Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, and Indonesian — making generative AI more accessible to non-English speakers. Beyond geographic and linguistic expansion, Google is also rolling out several interactive enhancements to make SGE more conversational and user-friendly.
Users can access SGE via Search Labs, where Google conducts early-stage experiments. This access is available on the Google app for Android and iOS, as well as through Chrome desktop. The rollout to mobile users in newly added countries will provide a consistent and unified search experience. Some of the news countries to get access to SGE include Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
“With Search Generative Experience (SGE), you can get AI-powered overviews that bring together the most helpful and relevant information available for your search. Already, generative AI in Search is allowing us to serve a wider range of information needs, including those that benefit from multiple perspectives. With SGE, we’re showing more links, and links to a wider range of sources on the results page, creating new opportunities for content to be discovered,” Hema Budaraju, Senior Director of Product Management, Search, wrote in a blog post.
“As we’ve continually improved the experience, we’ve also expanded internationally beyond the United States with recent launches in India and Japan. So far, the vast majority of feedback in all three countries has been positive, and people are finding generative AI particularly useful for complex questions they wouldn’t typically think to search,” Budaraju added.
Until now, the Search Generative Experience (SGE) feature was confined to specific regions, including the United States, India, and Japan. With this monumental update, Google has made Search Labs and SGE in English accessible to users in over 120 countries and territories, spanning Latin and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Asia Pacific. With the introduction of Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, and Indonesian, SGE also becomes more versatile and user-friendly for individuals who communicate primarily in these languages. Google also plans to expand support to more languages soon.
Google’s aim isn’t just geographic expansion—it’s also about enhancing the user experience. Several new features make SGE more interactive and conversational. One of the noteworthy additions allows users to ask follow-up questions directly from the search results page. This fluid transition from one query to another promotes deeper exploration of topics, streamlining the search process. This will be a useful feature, especially since it enables more conversational and natural interactions with AI, reducing the need for multiple queries and clicks.
Furthermore, SGE now employs AI to underline words in translated phrases that have multiple possible meanings, reducing the risk of misinterpretation, which is particularly vital in cross-lingual communication. Users can expect more accurate translations when engaging with content in different languages. This feature, initially available for English-Spanish translations in the U.S., holds the promise of more accurate translations in the future. Another new feature involves highlighted definitions for specialized terms, such as medical and coding terminology. Users can hover over these highlighted terms to access visual explanations, enhancing comprehension across various educational domains. The addition of interactive definitions for specialized terms, such as medical and coding terminology, and more educational areas means users can deepen their understanding of a wide range of subjects. This can significantly benefit students, researchers, and anyone seeking detailed information.
