Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced that the company’s search engine will undergo a profound transformation by 2025, driven by advanced artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Pichai expressed confidence that AI would be the key to this evolution. “Search will continue to change dramatically by 2025,” he said. “You’ll be surprised, even early in 2025, by what search can do compared to today.”
This announcement comes as Google continues to integrate AI into its products, including recent updates such as AI-generated search summaries and improvements to the Lens feature, which now supports video-based web searches.
Google is also preparing a significant update to its Gemini model to compete with rivals like Microsoft and OpenAI.
Pichai highlighted how AI technologies like BERT and MUM have already enhanced the accuracy and functionality of search results, with over a billion users engaging with Gemini-powered features.
During the summit, Pichai also addressed comments from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who claimed that Google should have been the “default winner” in the AI race. Pichai responded by challenging Microsoft’s reliance on OpenAI models, saying, “I would love to do a side-by-side comparison of Microsoft’s models and ours. They’re using someone else’s models.”
The discussion also touched on the balance between fair use and compensation for content creators. Pichai pointed to Google’s licensing agreements with platforms like Reddit, the Associated Press, and The New York Times, while acknowledging the ongoing debate about the value of intellectual property in the AI age.
Pichai suggested that in the future, a marketplace might be created where creators can develop content specifically for AI models and receive direct compensation.
Concluding his remarks, Pichai emphasized the increasing importance of search in an age flooded with information. “In a world overwhelmed with content, search becomes even more valuable,” he said, underscoring Google’s commitment to leading the AI-driven evolution of technology.
