Latest news with #Mode
Observer
2 days ago
- Business
- Observer
Google's new AI-powered search has arrived
Last week, I asked Google to help me plan my daughter's birthday party by finding a park in Oakland, California, with picnic tables. The site generated a list of parks nearby, so I went to scout two of them out — only to find there were, in fact, no tables. 'I was just there,' I typed to Google. 'I didn't see wooden tables.' Google acknowledged the mistake and produced another list, which again included one of the parks with no tables. I repeated this experiment by asking Google to find an affordable car wash nearby. Google listed a service for $25, but when I arrived, a car wash cost $65. I also asked Google to find a grocery store where I could buy an exotic pepper paste. Its list included a nearby Whole Foods, which didn't carry the item. I wasn't doing traditional web searches on I was testing the company's new AI Mode, a tool that is similar to chatbots like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, where users can type in questions to get answers. AI Mode, which is rolling out worldwide in the coming weeks, will soon appear as a tab next to your search results. The arrival of AI Mode underscores how new technology is redefining what it means to search for something online. For decades, a web search involved looking up keywords, like 'most reliable car brands,' to show a list of relevant websites. Now, with generative AI, the technology that powers chatbots by using complex language models to guess what words belong together, you can ask more specific questions or make complicated requests. That could include directing it to create a chart comparing the five most reliable 2025 sedans. Google, which has already been showing AI-generated summaries on its search pages for the past year, said AI Mode was a new frontier for search that would complement — but not yet replace — its traditional counterpart. 'We're really trying for AI Mode to be best at a new class of questions that are harder, more specific, and the best for when you're going back and forth trying to get something done,' Robby Stein, a Google executive who oversees the search product team, said in an interview. The prominent placement of AI Mode on shows that AI is rapidly becoming unavoidable. Meta has added a chatbot, Meta AI, in Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram, and Microsoft has integrated AI into its Bing search engine and its latest Surface computers. What's unique about AI Mode is that the technology stitches together data from Google's vast empire of internet services to provide an answer to a query. When you type a question, it could pull data from search queries on location information on Google Maps, and Google's shopping data on consumer products. To help assess whether AI is the future of search, I tested the new tool against traditional Google searches for a multitude of personal tasks over the past week, including shopping for a toddler car seat, preparing for a Memorial Day barbecue, and understanding the plot twists of a popular video game. The results were mixed, with lots of hits but also lots of misses, so I encourage people to use AI Mode with caution. Here's how it went. AI Mode vs. Google Search For each of my experiments, I opened AI Mode in one browser tab and with its traditional search bar in another. I typed the same query in each tab, then compared AI Mode's answers with Google's top list of search results. That helped determine whether AI Mode was more effective or if I was better off clicking on search results to find the answers. Searching for Things and Places My earlier examples of picnic tables, a grocery item, and a cheap carwash were similar in that they involved asking Google to find places or objects in the real world. Each of those queries prompted Google's AI to pull my location information and scan sources found on the web. — Google's AI Mode list included two parks with no picnic tables, but when I used to do the same search, its top three results included parks nearby that had tables. — Google's AI Mode suggested that the carwash I visited was $25 based on one user review that mentioned this price. But a Google search showed several Yelp reviews of the business, where people reported a more accurate range of $50 to $70. — Google's AI Mode generated a list of grocery stores, including Whole Foods, that potentially sold the aji amarillo paste that I needed to make Peruvian chicken for a Memorial Day barbecue. When I did a normal Google search for the paste nearby, the search engine took me to an Instacart listing confirming that one of the stores listed by AI Mode, Berkeley Bowl, carried the paste. Winner: Google search by a long shot. AI Mode's suggestions were sometimes accurate, but failing to check its answers could lead you down the wrong path and waste your time. Google said users of AI Mode could share feedback so it could quickly learn. 'It's early days, and these are technologies that are just starting to roll out now,' Stein said. 'As we learn about how to improve it, we'll improve it as quickly as possible.' Product Research In another test, I asked Google's AI to help me research toddler car seats. This is where I saw the technology's potential to become very useful. Unlike a traditional web search, which would require me to read reviews of various car seat models and jot down a list including their pricing and features, AI Mode did all of this for me. I typed: 'I'm shopping for a convertible car seat. Create a table for me including popular models from Graco, Chicco, and others, and include pricing and main features.' Google immediately generated a handy chart to make comparing five car seats easy. There were some hiccups: Some information was missing from the table, and I noticed that the pricing was wrong for two of the seats. Still, it was simple for me to ask the AI to make corrections, and overall, picking a car seat with this bespoke chart sped up the process for me compared with the old-school method. I tested AI Mode to research other products like birthday gifts for a 1-year-old and the best electric toothbrush. The suggestions were useful. Winner: AI Mode. It's a nifty shopping tool, though it's still wise to do a Google search to double-check the prices. Pop Culture After becoming a sleep-deprived father with the attention span of a goldfish, I got in the habit of reading summaries of movies and TV shows with convoluted plots. Recently, I finished a popular video game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which had a complex storyline. So I asked Google to summarize what had happened. Google gathered information from various video game blogs, Reddit posts, and YouTube videos to piece together a cohesive summary of the game's plot and many twists. It was a satisfying recap. I tested AI Mode on other pieces of pop culture, like the Apple TV show 'Severance' and HBO's 'The Last of Us,' including how the latter show was different from the video game on which it's based. The tool generated similarly useful summaries. Winner: AI Mode. A traditional Google search will show you plenty of plot summaries of TV shows, games, and movies on various sites. But sometimes you just want a quick and dirty bullet-pointed recap. Bottom Line A traditional Google search is still best for the simple act of looking for things to do nearby, but AI Mode could prove to be a nifty tool for more tedious tasks like product research for online shopping — an instant chart comparing baby car seats is helpful, even if imperfect. Just always check the answers. As for whether this is the future of search, consumers will probably decide that over time. If most of you prefer to use AI Mode, it will probably gradually replace Google as we know it. I still prefer an old-school search, but my feelings could change one chart of baby gear at a time. This article originally appeared in
USA Today
5 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Google may replace 'I'm Feeling Lucky' with AI search: What to know
Google may replace 'I'm Feeling Lucky' with AI search: What to know Show Caption Hide Caption Justice Department pushes to break up Google's search monopoly The Justice Department has begun a three-week hearing to determine how to address Google's illegal monopoly in internet search, with the government calling for major structural changes. unbranded - Newsworthy As part of a new opt-in experiment, Google is removing the "I'm Feeling Lucky Button" and replacing it with AI Mode, its enhanced AI search tool. The "I'm Feeling Lucky" button is not going away entirely. It will only disappear for Google users who opt-in to the experiment. Google's AI Mode functions similarly to OpenAI's ChatGPT. AI Mode is free and accessible to all Google users. No more feeling lucky for some Google users, as the search engine runs a new artificial intelligence experiment. For years, a button under the Google search bar has allowed users a different search experience. Rather than typing in a word, phrase or question and getting a string of results, the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button takes users to the top-result webpage associated with their input. As part of a new artificial intelligence experiment, the button has been removed for users tapped into the search engine's AI program, Google Labs. In its place is a new artificial intelligence feature called AI Mode. "We often test different ways for people to access our helpful features. This is just one of many experiments, and it's limited to Labs users only," a Google spokesperson told USA TODAY on May 27. Here's what to know about Google's latest AI experiment. Google gets a makeover: Google makes first branding change in 10 years with new 'G' icon More AI: Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' could ban states from regulating AI for a decade What is Google's 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button? The "I'm Feeling Lucky" button is located underneath the Google search bar when visiting When users enter a word, phrase or question in the Google search bar and then click the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, rather than using the traditional search, users are taken to the top-result webpage for their input. For example, if a user searches "dog food" on Google, an array of responses generate. The user may see sponsored dog food options through Google Shopping, a list of stores that sell dog food and top-selling dog food websites. If a user searches "dog food" on Google and clicks the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, the user is taken to the Chewy website, as this webpage is the top clicked result by Google users who search "dog food." Why is Google getting rid of the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button? Google is not completely phasing out the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button and most Google users are still able to access it. The removal of the button for Google Labs users is a part of an experiment gauging the use of artificial intelligence in tandem with Google search. What is Google's AI Mode? Google's AI Mode is an artificial intelligence-powered search engine that uses a "query fan-out" technique, conducting multiple searches to compile one response for a more complex answer. AI Mode functions similar to software like OpenAI's ChatGPT. "You can ask nuanced questions that might have previously taken multiple searches − like exploring a new concept or comparing detailed options − and get a helpful AI-powered response with links to learn more," Vice President of Google Search Product Robby Stein wrote about AI Mode in a May 5 blog post. While initially limited to Google Labs users − people who have signed up for Google's early testing experiments, AI Mode is now available to all Google users based in the U.S. who opt in to the tool. How to try Google's AI Mode Not a Google Labs user but still want to try out AI Mode? Here's how: Visit Toggle "Turn this experiment on or off" and click "Try AI Mode." If prompted with a pop-up, accept. AI Mode will then be available to use on Google search. What is Google Labs? Is it free? Google Labs allows users to test Google's early-stage experiments and provide feedback. Labs is free, but Google users must sign up to participate in the program with a valid Google account. Google student and work accounts do not qualify. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When does Naruto learn sage mode? Explained with what happened next
Naruto could be said to be one of the most powerful characters from the series and why not, he is the protagonist of course. The hero of Konoha had multiple tricks up his sleeve and some of them were immensely powerful. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now One such ability of Naruto was the Sage Mode that we got to see in the Naruto Shippuden. Now, for those who really want to explore how it happened and how it went when the first time our protagonist used the Sage Mode, we are at the right place. Moving forward in this article, we discuss Naruto's Sage Mode in detail/. Naruto's Sage Mode: Beginning and first application It all started after Jiraiya's death in the show which triggered a lot of emotions in Naruto. After that, Naruto visits Mount Myoboku where he learns the art of Senjutsu which is based on natural energy. In this training, Naruto was taught the process of absorbing natural energy and balancing all the energy zones to enter Sage Mode. Once Naruto mastered the full-blown mode, he was ready for a battle. Nonetheless, a battle came knocking on his door when Pain destroyed Konoha village with his 'Almighty Push.' And the Naruto arrives at Konoha to take on Pain and he enters with his Sage Mode in action. Our protagonist takes on different forms of pain showing the whole village that Naruto is not just a regular shinobi anymore. Amidst the fight between Pain and Naruto., Hinata jumps in to protect Naruto in which she gets severely injured. And this triggers his transformation in the six-tailed form of Kurama. Things went south after this incident and only came into control when Minato met Naruto in his sub conscious state of mind and helped him tame Kurama. All in all, this is the summary of all that happened when Naruto used the Sage Mode for the first time.
Mint
23-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
As Google Embraces AI, One Stock Is Losing Out. Others Are at Risk.
Reddit stock has dropped about 40% this year. Reddit stock has taken a beating as investors worry how Google's new artificial-intelligence search features could dent the social-media platform's traffic. Other companies like Pinterest could also take a hit. Reddit stock has dropped 40% so far this year, even though the company reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue growth for its March quarter. This comes as growth in daily active users slows while Alphabet's Google updates its search functions. Google has been under a lot of pressure in recent months to prove it can be a winner in the AI search race. That's been more of a challenge than one might expect for the longtime search leader, because generative-AI chat bots like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Perplexity attract new users with quick, detailed, and conversational answers to user questions. One way Google has tried to combat this is through the introduction of AI Overviews, or AI-generated answers to search queries that appear on the top of the page. These AI Overviews pose a challenge for companies like Reddit, which rely on gaining traffic by users who click on their links in Google search. Things just got more complicated for Reddit and its peers, too. Google announced on Tuesday that it's integrating AI into its search engine through AI Mode—which will give users the ability to ask more complicated queries versus traditional searches in a conversational chatbot interface. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian wrote in a Tuesday research note that the launch of AI Mode 'will provide answers to questions that users might otherwise click-through to Reddit links for more details.' He lowered his price target on Reddit to $120 from $140 while maintaining a Neutral rating on the stock. Reddit directed Barron's to Reddit CEO Steven Huffman's comments on the company's May 1 earnings call. 'We do expect some bumps along the way from Google because we've already seen a few this year,' he said at the time, adding that as the 'search ecosystem is under heavy construction, the near term could be more bumpy than usual.' Reddit stock dropped 2.2% on Tuesday and 9.3% on Wednesday following Google's announcement, while the S&P 500 dropped 0.4% and 1.6% on those days, respectively. Reddit stock was gaining back some of those losses on Thursday, rising 4% to $99.64. Reddit isn't the only company that could see further slowdown in active users following this Google update. Photo-sharing platform Pinterest could see a decline in traffic if Google's AI Mode shows users pictures that stop them from needing to look at Pinterest posts. 'Our ability to maintain and increase the number of users directed to our platform from search engines is not within our control,' Pinterest said in its Risk Factor section of its most recent annual 10-K filing in February. 'Search engines, such as Google, have and may continue to modify their search algorithms…and policies or enforce those policies in ways that are detrimental to us.' Shares of online education company Chegg have fallen sharply this year. The company alleged back in February that the rise of AI Overviews have 'had a profound impact on Chegg's traffic, revenue, and workforce.' This led Chegg to sue Google. The latest AI Mode update can't be good news for the textbook seller moving forward. Chegg and Google both didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. AI Mode still hasn't been fully rolled out in the U.S., so now is the time for investors to decide whether the risk is worth taking for stocks that rely on Google clicks. Write to Angela Palumbo at
India Today
22-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
News publishers say AI Mode in Google Search is theft of their work
Google's push for the AI-fication of Search has the company facing strong criticism from news publishers. A major media group in the United States has accused Google of misusing their content without offering anything in return. They have called it 'theft'. At the heart of the controversy is Google's new feature called AI Mode, which the company officially announced at its annual I/O 2025 developer event. With this tool, users can interact with Google Search as if it were a chatbot, asking complex queries and follow-up questions, and getting full responses in return, without actually needing to click on any traditional News/Media Alliance, which represents around 2,000 publishers in the US, issued a sharp response to the launch. Danielle Coffey, the group's president and CEO, said, 'Links were the last redeeming quality of search that gave publishers traffic and revenue. Now Google just takes content by force and uses it with no return, the definition of theft.'advertisementThe group is urging US regulators, particularly the Department of Justice (DoJ), to intervene. The group believes that Google's dominance over online information is increasingly unchecked, and that the new AI Mode further weakens the already strained relationship between publishers and the tech platform. 'The DOJ remedies must address this to prevent continued domination of the internet by one company,' Coffey added in his meanwhile, is presenting AI Mode as the natural next step in the evolution of Search. The feature has been tested with select users through Google Labs for months now, but starting Wednesday, it is widely available across the US. Users don't even need to sign in to use it, and it is primarily being rolled out on mobile devices. The availability of the feature in India is unclear right According to Google, AI Mode is designed to make search more conversational and helpful. Instead of showing users a page full of links – how we see it right now, minus the AI Overview on top – the AI breaks down the query, scans multiple websites, and gives users detailed answers in seconds. It can even help users with tasks like booking a ticket, comparing prices, reserving a table at a restaurant, or analysing financial addition to that, AI Mode also comes with features like Deep Search and Search Live that add more AI power to the feature. Deep Search lets users run hundreds of background queries to create a detailed response, while Search Live lets users point their phone's camera at something and ask questions about it in real time. Think of it as Gemini Live integration into Google these tools have the potential to offer great convenience to users, news and media publishers argue that with such deep-rooted AI-tools embedded into Google Search – which will generate most of its responses based on the information provided by media houses – publishers are being further pushed out of the online ecosystem. Because if Google shows users AI responses – which will be built on the media publishers' work – users will feel less and less need to visit the original source of information, which will eventually cost publishers valuable traffic and media publishers have urged the DoJ to look into the issue as Google's antitrust trial – where the US court found the company to be a 'monopolist' – is currently in the remedies phase. Basically, the court in the US has found that Google is monopolising the search market, and now they are trying to find the right solution to fix that. The DoJ has proposed that the company should be forced to divest Google Chrome, and it should be asked to share its search data with its In
