Google: Faster Searches with AI, but Will It Cost?

It’s been nearly 50 years since the advent of the internet, and for users, the web was a vastly different place. Numerous services were available for “netizens” to conduct web searches. 

However, Google’s appearance caused a paradigm shift. Google now holds a position that is more than dominant in the search market, almost monopolizing it to the extent that the term “googling” has even made its way into the dictionary. Indeed, for the collective imagination, the search engine is one and only one.

AI’s Role In Google

Google’s business model primarily revolves around advertising sales, a practice that has thus far kept the Google Search service completely free for users. However, according to the Financial Times, significant changes may be on the horizon with the integration of artificial intelligence. Google is reportedly exploring plans to charge for AI-enhanced search features. In a beta testing phase for selected users, Google’s generative AI is employed to respond to queries directly with a single answer, akin to the style of ChatGPT and other services.

Google: Monetizing AI-Powered Services

Enhanced AI-driven search demands more investment and incurs higher costs for Google (hardware for AI training, energy consumption, etc.) compared to traditional methods. Consequently, Google is evaluating how to recoup these investments. The proposed change would not alter Google’s search engine as we know it: it would remain free with advertisements, even for subscribers, but paying users would receive additional benefits.

Finding the Balance

Engineers are working to find the right balance. Meanwhile, executives have yet to decide whether and when to introduce the new solution. The substantial expenses needed to provide the service and, ideally, make a profit are driving this potential shift. Google is reportedly considering offering the new search functionality exclusively to users of its premium subscription services, who already pay for features like Gemini Assistant in Gmail or Docs.

Google: Future Plans and Speculations

There is a lack of information about the timeline since no internal decisions have been made yet. There are rumors going around that there might be a subscription plan in the future for AI-powered search tools, along with the continuation of advertising in both the free and paid versions of the search. It’s clear that AI is already shaping our lives and will continue to do so in the future. This presents both opportunities and challenges for us. Whether we like it or not, the future belongs to AI. Therefore, we must keep ourselves updated with the latest developments.