TL;DR:
- Google introduces three new AI features in Chrome: Google Lens, Tab Compare, and Rediscover History.
- These features enhance user experience by enabling reverse image search, product comparison, and natural language history search.
- The updates have implications for both consumers and enterprises, with potential regulatory challenges.
The Future of Search is Here
Google has unveiled three groundbreaking AI features in Chrome, setting a new standard in the AI search war. These features—Google Lens, Tab Compare, and Rediscover History—are designed to make your browsing experience smarter, faster, and more intuitive. Let’s dive into what these features mean for you.
Google Lens: Search Smarter
Google Lens is now available on your desktop, allowing you to search using images directly from your browser. Here’s how it works:
- Click the Google Lens icon in the address bar.
- Select and drag over the image or text you want to search.
- Google Lens will find similar images, products, or information without leaving the current tab.
This feature is a game-changer for e-commerce, making it easier to find and compare products visually. As Andy Thurai, an analyst at Constellation Research, points out, “Finding a product with an image, searching the internet, in the color or differentiation that you would prefer, and ordering it quickly is huge for the e-commerce market in this attention-deficit culture where digital fatigue is real.”
Tab Compare: Shop Smarter
Tab Compare is an AI-generated overview of products across multiple tabs, all in one place. This feature is perfect for shoppers who want to compare products quickly and easily. Instead of switching between tabs, you can view all the information on a single page. Open multiple tabs with different products. Use Tab Compare to view all the products on a single page and compare their features.
Keith Kirkpatrick, an analyst at Futurum Group, highlights the enterprise angle of this feature. “The ability to compare products on the same page is interesting for both consumer and B2B scenarios,” he said. This feature can save time and streamline the comparison process for businesses.
Rediscover History: Remember Smarter
The Rediscover History feature lets you search your browsing history using natural language. For example, you can type, “What was that ice cream shop I looked at last week?” and Chrome will find it for you.
While this feature is convenient, it also raises privacy concerns.
Kirkpatrick notes, “You cannot escape the implications when it comes to data privacy and data usage, because it is something that is on the mind of both consumers and businesses.”
Google has stated that this feature will be generally available in the U.S. in a few weeks, but its rollout in regions with strict data privacy laws, like the EU, remains uncertain.
The AI Search War
These updates come amidst intense competition in the AI search market. Just a week before Google’s announcement, OpenAI revealed its prototype, SearchGPT. The tech giants seem to be in a feature race, but Kirkpatrick predicts that AI tools like those in Chrome will eventually become standard.
What’s Next for AI in Search?
As AI continues to evolve, we can expect more innovative features that make search faster, smarter, and more personalised. However, these advancements also come with challenges, particularly around data privacy and regulation.
Comment and Share:
What AI search feature are you most excited about? Have you tried any of the new Chrome features yet? Share your experiences and thoughts on the future of AI in search. Don’t forget to subscribe for updates on AI and AGI developments.
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- For further reading on new Chrome features and Asia release dates, tap here.
