Latest news with #HemaBudaraju
Tahawul Tech
31-07-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
New AI search feature launched by Google
In the UK, Google is launching a new search tool that will generate results using AI, marking a drastic change to the world's most popular search engine. Instead of a list of search results showing links to other websites in blue type, people who choose 'AI Mode' will be given an answer written in a conversational style, containing far fewer links to other pages. The new search tool will not replace Google's existing search platform, which processes billions of queries every day. But experts predict such tools will increasingly incorporate AI, a shift that is concerning organisations, firms and publishers, which rely on search traffic. Businesses ranging from retailers to news outlets are currently supported by web traffic funnelled their way from Google's search results. Firms can also pay for prime spots on the results lists, as a form of advertising. A shift towards AI-generated responses, containing fewer direct links, could up-end that model. The Daily Mail claims the number of people who click its links from Google search results has fallen by around 50% on both desktop and mobile traffic since Google introduced its AI Overview feature, which summarises results. Hema Budaraju, Google's Product Manager for search, said the firm had not yet finalised how advertising revenue for AI Mode would work, or whether firms would be able to pay to be included in the response. But it is already concerning some businesses, who say people are less likely to click through to their websites via the links contained in an AI summary. Ms Budaraju disagreed with this characterisation. 'I would say that I think people are going to use these technologies to unlock newer information-seeking journeys,' she said. 'These kind of questions didn't happen before, and now you made it really possible for people to express anything a lot more naturally.' What is Google AI Mode? People are increasingly turning to AI chatbots such as ChatGPT instead of traditional search engines to find quick, simple answers to questions, even though they are not always accurate. Google's new tool, which uses its Gemini AI platform to generate its answers, has already been launched in the US and India. It is being rolled out in the UK over the next few days. For now, AI Mode will be optional and will appear both as a tab and an option within the search box itself. The tech giant said it was responding to changes in the way people use its search engine to ask more complicated questions. 'About two years ago, if you spilled coffee on your carpet, you would have [searched for] clean carpet stain,' said Ms Budaraju. 'That's how you would have probably keyworded your way through. Now, my query is likely to be, I spilled coffee on my Berber carpet, I'm looking for a cleaner that is pet friendly'. The BBC was unable to test the tool with its own questions during the demo because the tool had not yet been activated in the UK. But Google provided a demo using the example of someone searching for suitable places to take a young family strawberry picking. However, the answers it provided seemed to be spread over a wide geographical area. It featured a handful of links to businesses, including their locations on a map, but they came lower down in the response, compared to a traditional Google search. News model A recent study by the Pew Research Centre suggested that people only clicked a link once in every 100 searches when there was an AI summary at the top of the page. Google argues the research methodology in that study was flawed. Rosa Curling, Director of the campaign group Foxglove, said she was concerned what the increased use of AI might mean for news organisations. Although AI-generated summaries are often inaccurate, people weren't clicking through to the original news items they were based on, she said, undermining the business models of news organisations. 'What the AI summary now does is makes sure that the readers' eyes stay on the Google web page,' she said. 'And the advertising revenue of those news outlets is being massively impacted.' Google said it already generates more than two billion AI Overview boxes every day in more than 40 languages, although not in the EU, where legislation precludes it. There are also significant concerns about the environmental impact of increased AI use. Running AI requires huge data centres that use a lot of power and clean water. Ms Budaraju said Google remained committed to sustainability. 'We are constantly, as Google and as Search, evolving sustainable ways to serve technology,' she said. Source: BBC News Image Credit: Google
Rhyl Journal
29-07-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
What is Google's AI Mode? How to use new tool in UK
The new artificial intelligence-powered tool is said to revolutionise the traditional online search, according to Google. AI Mode will start to appear as a tab on the Google Search results page and in the Google app for Android and Apple smartphones from Tuesday (July 29), and will be available to all UK users over the next few days. But what exactly is AI Mode and how can you use it? Let's find out. Our most powerful AI search is now rolling out in the UK 🇬🇧 AI Mode in Google Search expands on AI Overviews and allows you to go even deeper through follow-up questions and helpful links to the web. Try it today! Learn more → The function was launched in the US at the end of May, followed by India earlier in July, and comes in addition to Google's AI Overview, which is now built into its searches. Hailed as its most 'powerful AI search to date', it allows users to ask lengthy and complicated questions, as well as follow-ups. The tool is powered by Google's latest AI model, Gemini 2.5, and allows users to ask nuanced questions that would have previously required multiple searches. The new search works by breaking down questions into sub-topics and sending out a range of queries on behalf of users. It will also allow so-called multimodal searches, either by text, voice or pictures. Hema Budaraju, Google's vice president of product management for search, told the PA news agency it heralds a 'major shift' in the way people are using online searches, with questions now becoming longer and more complex. In a blog announcing the launch, Ms Budaraju said: 'AI Mode is a new, intuitive way to address your most complex, multi-part questions and follow-ups, and satisfy your curiosity in a richer way.' She added: 'AI Mode is particularly helpful for exploratory questions and for more complicated tasks like comparing products, planning a trip or understanding complex how-tos. 'In fact, we've found that early users of AI Mode are asking questions that are two or three times the length of traditional search queries.' Recommended reading: 'Stop before you tap' warning amid 'malicious' apps threat on mobile phones BT customers told to check accounts today as £18 million refunded Viral petition to repeal 'pointless' Online Safety Act reaches 340K signatures To summarise briefly, Google's AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries above traditional search results and will offer a number of sources for readers to then click on and find out more information about a search query. Meanwhile, AI Mode offers a conversational, chat-like interface that replaces the standard results page with more in-depth breakdowns of search queries.
North Wales Chronicle
29-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
What is Google's AI Mode? How to use new tool in UK
The new artificial intelligence-powered tool is said to revolutionise the traditional online search, according to Google. AI Mode will start to appear as a tab on the Google Search results page and in the Google app for Android and Apple smartphones from Tuesday (July 29), and will be available to all UK users over the next few days. But what exactly is AI Mode and how can you use it? Let's find out. Our most powerful AI search is now rolling out in the UK 🇬🇧 AI Mode in Google Search expands on AI Overviews and allows you to go even deeper through follow-up questions and helpful links to the web. Try it today! Learn more → The function was launched in the US at the end of May, followed by India earlier in July, and comes in addition to Google's AI Overview, which is now built into its searches. Hailed as its most 'powerful AI search to date', it allows users to ask lengthy and complicated questions, as well as follow-ups. The tool is powered by Google's latest AI model, Gemini 2.5, and allows users to ask nuanced questions that would have previously required multiple searches. The new search works by breaking down questions into sub-topics and sending out a range of queries on behalf of users. It will also allow so-called multimodal searches, either by text, voice or pictures. Hema Budaraju, Google's vice president of product management for search, told the PA news agency it heralds a 'major shift' in the way people are using online searches, with questions now becoming longer and more complex. In a blog announcing the launch, Ms Budaraju said: 'AI Mode is a new, intuitive way to address your most complex, multi-part questions and follow-ups, and satisfy your curiosity in a richer way.' She added: 'AI Mode is particularly helpful for exploratory questions and for more complicated tasks like comparing products, planning a trip or understanding complex how-tos. 'In fact, we've found that early users of AI Mode are asking questions that are two or three times the length of traditional search queries.' Recommended reading: 'Stop before you tap' warning amid 'malicious' apps threat on mobile phones BT customers told to check accounts today as £18 million refunded Viral petition to repeal 'pointless' Online Safety Act reaches 340K signatures To summarise briefly, Google's AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries above traditional search results and will offer a number of sources for readers to then click on and find out more information about a search query. Meanwhile, AI Mode offers a conversational, chat-like interface that replaces the standard results page with more in-depth breakdowns of search queries.
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google launches controversial ‘AI mode' in the UK
Google is launching its AI tool in the UK in a move that could kill off traditional search. Rather than the traditional Google search, the new tool allows users to ask complicated or multi-faceted questions and have them answered using artificial intelligence. Google claims that the tool will let people get answers to lengthier queries, as well as helping organise the various information on the web. But the company has had a mixed record with similar features in the search, including criticism over the way it could undermine web-based businesses and promote misinformation. The feature will now be available in the UK, after it was previously launched in the US and India. AI Mode will start to appear as a tab on the Google Search results page and in the Google app for Android and Apple smartphones from Tuesday, and will be available to all UK users over the next few days. The function was launched in the US at the end of May, followed by India earlier in July, and comes in addition to Google's AI Overview, which is now built into its searches. Hema Budaraju, Google's vice president of product management for search, told the PA news agency it heralds a 'major shift' in the way people are using online searches, with questions now becoming longer and more complex. In a blog announcing the launch, Ms Budaraju said: 'AI Mode is a new, intuitive way to address your most complex, multi-part questions and follow-ups, and satisfy your curiosity in a richer way.' She added: 'AI Mode is particularly helpful for exploratory questions and for more complicated tasks like comparing products, planning a trip or understanding complex how-tos. 'In fact, we've found that early users of AI Mode are asking questions that are two or three times the length of traditional search queries.' The tool is powered by Google's latest AI model, Gemini 2.5, and allows users to ask nuanced questions that would have previously required multiple searches. The new search works by breaking down questions into sub-topics and sending out a range of queries on the behalf of users. It will also allow so-called multimodal searches, either by text, voice or pictures. Ms Budaraju said it should make it possible for people to 'find information that was previously much harder to find'. 'This is the beginning of a major shift,' she told PA. Google said it was improving factuality, but that where AI Mode is not confident in the answer, it will instead provide a set of web search results. 'And as with any early-stage AI product, we won't always get it right, but we are committed to continuous improvement,' Ms Budaraju said. Additional reporting by agencies Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
South Wales Guardian
29-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
What is Google's AI Mode? How to use new tool in UK
The new artificial intelligence-powered tool is said to revolutionise the traditional online search, according to Google. AI Mode will start to appear as a tab on the Google Search results page and in the Google app for Android and Apple smartphones from Tuesday (July 29), and will be available to all UK users over the next few days. But what exactly is AI Mode and how can you use it? Let's find out. Our most powerful AI search is now rolling out in the UK 🇬🇧 AI Mode in Google Search expands on AI Overviews and allows you to go even deeper through follow-up questions and helpful links to the web. Try it today! Learn more → The function was launched in the US at the end of May, followed by India earlier in July, and comes in addition to Google's AI Overview, which is now built into its searches. Hailed as its most 'powerful AI search to date', it allows users to ask lengthy and complicated questions, as well as follow-ups. The tool is powered by Google's latest AI model, Gemini 2.5, and allows users to ask nuanced questions that would have previously required multiple searches. The new search works by breaking down questions into sub-topics and sending out a range of queries on behalf of users. It will also allow so-called multimodal searches, either by text, voice or pictures. Hema Budaraju, Google's vice president of product management for search, told the PA news agency it heralds a 'major shift' in the way people are using online searches, with questions now becoming longer and more complex. In a blog announcing the launch, Ms Budaraju said: 'AI Mode is a new, intuitive way to address your most complex, multi-part questions and follow-ups, and satisfy your curiosity in a richer way.' She added: 'AI Mode is particularly helpful for exploratory questions and for more complicated tasks like comparing products, planning a trip or understanding complex how-tos. 'In fact, we've found that early users of AI Mode are asking questions that are two or three times the length of traditional search queries.' Recommended reading: 'Stop before you tap' warning amid 'malicious' apps threat on mobile phones BT customers told to check accounts today as £18 million refunded Viral petition to repeal 'pointless' Online Safety Act reaches 340K signatures To summarise briefly, Google's AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries above traditional search results and will offer a number of sources for readers to then click on and find out more information about a search query. Meanwhile, AI Mode offers a conversational, chat-like interface that replaces the standard results page with more in-depth breakdowns of search queries.
