Google’s AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE) is introducing a significant new feature that can now summarize web articles, as mentioned in a recent Google blog post. While SGE already offers summarized search results to aid users in quickly finding relevant information, this enhancement takes it a step further by providing article summaries after users have clicked on a link.
Referred to as “SGE while browsing,” this feature is currently being rolled out as an early experiment within Google’s opt-in Search Labs program. Users who have opted into SGE will have access, and others can choose to opt in specifically for this feature. Initially available on Android and iOS through the Google app, it will soon be extended to the Chrome browser on desktop computers.
For mobile users with access, tapping an icon at the bottom of the screen will prompt Google to generate AI-derived “key points” from the article. Notably, this functionality is designed for articles that are publicly accessible on the web and will not work with paywalled content, as clarified by Google.
In addition to this new feature, Google is making several other enhancements to SGE. For search queries related to subjects like science, economics, and history, users will be able to hover over certain words to receive definitions or diagrams about the topic. Google is also improving the clarity of SGE’s summaries of coding information.
SGE was initially unveiled at Google I/O in May and has undergone continuous refinement since then. Despite some reservations, Google is pleased with the positive user feedback received thus far, with CEO Sundar Pichai noting that this direction represents the future of how Search will function.
