How to turn on AI in Google Search?

Google Search can now be powered by AI, thanks to the Mountain View-based company's foray into generative artificial intelligence technologies. The company previously showcased its generative AI bot, Bard, which is currently in an open beta stage. Now, all searches will be accompanied by an AI bot to quickly understand queries and aggregate information.

This move comes after Microsoft implemented an AI bot with Bing, which significantly improved the search experience. Google's LaMDA-powered bot is a direct competitor to what the Redmond-based company is offering.

You can follow the steps listed in this guide to use the power of GPT in your day-to-day searches.

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A step-by-step guide to turning on AI in Google Search

It is worth noting that AI features in Google Search haven't yet been rolled out to the public, and much like Bard, are still experimental and can only be accessed by users in the Google Labs program.

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What is Google Labs?

Google Labs is the company's beta testing platform, or an incubator, in short. Users who are a part of it can try upcoming Google features before their release. It is worth noting that Labs can only be accessed via the Google Chrome browser on desktops and the Google app on smartphones.

The latest AI in Google Search can be found in Search Labs, which is a part of Google Labs.

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How to join Google Labs?

Before proceeding, ensure you are using the Google Chrome browser. Google Labs currently doesn't work on Firefox, Safari, or other Chromium-based browsers like Opera or Edge.

Step 1. Head over to Google Labs on Chrome.

Step 2. Click on the Sign-Up button next to any feature currently available in Google Labs. Do note that the incubator isn't available globally, and you might be unable to access it.

Step 3. Scroll down and hit Submit. This will create your Google Labs profile.

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How to access generative AI features in Google Search?

Follow these steps to access AI features in Google Search:

Step 1. Head over to Google Labs.

Step 2. Now scroll down and find the AI in Google Search section. Generally, it is at the very top of the current list. Click on Sign Up and accept the terms and conditions. This will allow your account to access the beta features.

Step 3. Click on the Settings icon. This will open a dropdown menu. Next, hit on Search Settings.

Step 4. Scroll down to Google AI Search and hit Enable. Click on Save.

After you've done this, Generative AI-powered results will accompany all searches.

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Is turning on AI in Google Search worth it?

Google's Search is among the most used services out there. In recent years, the company has introduced multiple measures like autofill suggestions to make Search results easily accessible and digestible. However, in most cases, Search simply pulls up a ton of unrelated websites with no insight into the query.

This generally delays finding accurate information and might not be ideal if users are in a rush and need a short gist immediately. The new AI features do just that.

The addition of AI features to Bing has vastly improved user experience. Thus, we are expecting a similar step up in Google-powered Searches as well.