Google to add Chat AI features to its flagship search engine

Sundar Pichai said AI will enable businesses to create their own or individuals to run the algorithms on their own personal devices.

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, recently announced that the company will incorporate conversational AI features into its main search engine as it struggles with pressure from chatbots like ChatGPT and other business-related challenges. According to Mr. Pichai, advances in AI would greatly enhance Google's capacity to respond to a variety of search inquiries. He rejected the idea that Google's search business, which generates more than half of parent company Alphabet Inc.'s revenue, was in danger from chatbots.

Large language models, or LLMs, are computer program that can process and respond to natural-language prompts with human-like prose. Google has long been a pioneer in this field. However, it hasn't yet applied technology to modify how consumers conduct search—something Sundar Pichai promised would happen.

While Microsoft has expanded its AI offerings beyond Bing for usage in some of its business software applications, the company has started experimenting with new AI features in Gmail and other products relevant to the workplace. Google continues to make the most money from search ads, which generated $162 billion in sales in 2017. Smaller AI models, according to Mr. Pichai, will be more beneficial over time and enable businesses to create their own or individuals to run the algorithms on their own personal devices.