The CEO of Google announced the upcoming integration of AI into the search engine. Many observers saw in this decision a response to the success met by Chat GPT-4. Indeed, OpenAI’s artificial intelligence technology has greatly benefited Microsoft Bing for several weeks.
AI In Google, A Hasty Announcement?
Google CEO Speaks In An Exclusive Interview
The setting of this announcement is as unusual as it is significant. Canadian sociologist Herbert Marshall McLuhan once explained that the medium was the message. This is exactly the case here. Giving such information in a financial newspaper and not in the solemn framework of an Apple-style keynote implicitly indicates that this decision was taken to reassure the financial markets.
The Buzz Generated By Chat GPT-4 Precipitated Things
The opening to the public of Chat GPT-4 aroused enthusiasm and concern. Artificial intelligence instantly became a central subject, widely commented on. Some worry about the risks of cheating and potential breaches of GDPR, the (European) General Data Protection Regulation. Others, on the contrary, see it as a multiplier of the potentialities of human intelligence, rich in as yet unsuspected promises.
In any case, no one can ignore it any longer, and this situation prompted the CEO of Google to make this announcement as quickly as it is surprising. The head of Google also admitted to having been pushed to switch to AI by pressure from the competition…
A Fuzzy Timetable For The Introduction Of AI In Google
did not provide a specific timeline in support of his announcement. He also didn’t detail how Google intended to go about it. Bard, the Google-developed equivalent of Chat GPT-4, would wait to measure up. The CEO of Google even allowed himself an unflattering comparison of the house tool vis-à-vis Chat GPT-4, considering it as a Honda Civic compared to a Formula 1!
A Question Of The Functioning Of The Search Engine
A Different Way Of Working For User Searches
Internet Users Have Become Accustomed To Searching By Keywords…
Internet users have become accustomed to summarizing their research in a few carefully chosen keywords. For example, just type architect followed by a famous building to see a list of sites mentioning the author of the monument in question, or type age followed by the name of an actress to be redirected to the Wikipedia file mentioning her date of birth.
…And They Can Write What They Are Looking For!
On the other hand, AI allows you to type your search directly in natural language, that is, in everyday French, and specify it more finely. A user could thus ask for the age of an actress during the filming of a particular film, the AI taking care of the calculation between the date of birth and year of filming to directly propose an age.
A Hard-To-Predict Impact On The Visibility Of Websites
The Google Results List Is The Place To Be…
Google is currently the ultra-dominant search engine in India, with a market share of over 90%. It greatly contributes to the visibility of websites; most users use a search engine to find the information and the site that interests them.
The list of Google results is thus strategic; the presence of a site on the first page of results on a relevant search largely conditions its traffic. Users most often click on one or more sites chosen from this list, according to the perceived relevance according to the summary of the site and its title, to find what they are looking for.
… But Will It Remain Essential?
Chat GPT-4 users mostly appreciated having almost ready-to-use texts, although some expressed reservations about their relevance or accuracy. If the future AI-powered Google search has the same characteristics, one wonders if the user will still need to click on a site to find what he is looking for!
The prospect may seem attractive to the user, who would only consult several sites to arrive at a relevant result, but it could upset the web ecosystem. If the result lists are viewed less, the sites will be less visible and, therefore, less encouraged to provide relevant content in exchange for increased visibility…
Artificial Intelligence In Google, A Case To Follow!
Lots Of Money At Stake For The Search Engine
Alphabet achieves an annual turnover of 272 billion dollars for a profit of 72 billion dollars (figures for the financial year ending June 30, 2022). These revenues are mostly derived from the use of the search engine, both through the placement of advertisements and navigation data. The company must maintain its economic model by upsetting everything overnight. Likely, it will only move forward with a certain caution on AI for purely financial reasons!
An Impact On SEO Optimization And Web Reference Is Still Uncertain
The modification of the Google search system will inevitably affect the natural referencing of websites. The web referencing strategy will have to be scalable and reactive, depending on Google’s changes.
The web has always been a world in perpetual evolution, but it will take even more than usual to be on standby on this crucial subject for many companies and sites. The contribution of AI in Google searches can be the worst and best for websites. Technological watch and reactivity on its SEO optimization will be essential to remain visible!
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