Google’s expanding access to its own generative search elements, as it looks to stay up to speed with the latest trends in web discovery and engagement.

Google’s AI-powered generative search system, called “Search Generative Experience” (SGE), provides complementary prompts and guidance, along with the option to expand your Search queries through conversational cues.

Originally launched back in August in selected regions, Google is now making its SGE experience available to millions more people.

As per Google:

“Starting today, we’re bringing Search Labs and SGE in English to more than 120 new countries and territories around the world, including Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. As part of this expansion, we’re also enabling four new languages for everyone using SGE: Spanish, Portuguese, Korean and Indonesian. So if, for example, you’re a Spanish speaker in the U.S., you can now use generative AI in Search with your preferred language.”

This is an important update, because many in the Search industry see conversational AI as the future for Search, as more people get used to simply asking questions of chatbots, as opposed to typing in written queries.

The popularity of ChatGPT suggests that many people prefer the more engaging, interactive discovery process, which could have major implications for the future of Google’s core business.

Which is why it needs its own AI-based Search tools to work, though Google has been relatively cautious with the roll-out of its generative AI tools, despite working on them for many years.

In some ways, OpenAI has forced Google’s hand, and pushed it to release its AI search tools faster, but we’re now seeing more conversational AI elements in all of Google’s various surfaces.

Which, again, could be a major shift, and it’s worth noting how these new tools are being adopted, and what that means for discovery moving forward.

Google’s also testing out some new SGE search options, including follow-up questions to refine your search.

It’s also adding new translation-related prompts for SGE, so you can improve the accuracy of translation-related queries by asking clarifying questions.

Over time, Google will continue to refine and improve its conversational AI elements, and again, it’s worth noting how they evolve, and what that will mean for broader discovery trends.