The all-new and exciting Google Search Generative Experience is now rolling out as a labs experiment to some early waitlisted users. I should have access by now, but I am offline, I wrote this yesterday before I was able to play with it (which is why this news is not in my video, which I recorded earlier yesterday).
Google announced yesterday, a bit after 11 am ET, that it has begun to invite waitlisted users to try to new Search Generative Experience. "Today, we're starting to open up access to Search Labs, a new program to access early experiments from Google," Google wrote. "If you've already signed up for the waitlist at labs.google.com/search, you'll be notified by email when you can start testing Labs experiments, like SGE (Search Generative Experience)," Google added.
I spent most of the day refreshing to see if I could play with it before I go offline for the holiday, but I did not gain access. Google did tell me I would likely be offline by the time I get access. So I will play a lot with it on Monday and hopefully report on what I see. But I embedded a lot of videos and screenshots below from others. Note at around 5 pm ET I gained access, so I scrambled to do some queries and posted a Twitter thread, I embedded those tweets below over here.
I keep refreshing to see when I will see it today, I am offline starting tonight, so eager to see it before i go offline for two days https://t.co/4QSi87Fp5W pic.twitter.com/lX6SzCXQIS
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
Here are lucky users who received access an hour or so after Google announced it opening up:
I received an email around noon ET saying "It's your turn to try Search Labs". Following the link took you to a page to turn these options on.
— Andrew (@spacerobot5) May 25, 2023
You can check to see if you have access by checking your email or going to labs.google.com/search, that is the screenshot above in my tweet.
Here are some screenshots and commentary for some who had early access:
From Andy Simpson - just look at all the clickable links:
My first SGE had to be local 😏 pic.twitter.com/aU9FNcByHf
— Andy Simpson 🇬🇧 (@ndyjsimpson) May 25, 2023
Some queries (long-tail / questions) it will autogenerate the SGE results. Shorter queries give you a button to generate. Example, "what is SEO?" vs. "SEO". pic.twitter.com/cQGE30sX0C
— Andrew (@spacerobot5) May 25, 2023
— Andrew (@spacerobot5) May 25, 2023
buy a surfboard online pic.twitter.com/9IK4nG6PmB
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
Google SGE is out in Beta - You better watch out..... pic.twitter.com/KH7ZoM45TY
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
Who is Ron Desantis pic.twitter.com/Hc4uanKHkt
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
PIzza 10019 pic.twitter.com/XaocOXGfZ9
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
Not all local results link to Google.com
Plumber near me pic.twitter.com/vqtNLS3w7v
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
Reebok Sneakers pic.twitter.com/YaUYOAIZjW
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
Local results show links to Google Business Profiles on Google.com
What are the best bars in amsterdam pic.twitter.com/flzZ76T6Az
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
How can I solve a rubik's' cube? pic.twitter.com/FzGpk4o9ua
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
Here is when Google won't show an AI-generated answer:
Not really showing up for News related stories or Politics and not available on Mobile search as of yet. pic.twitter.com/NE8lGouD4B
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
I would like to visit Isreal with my family where should we stay and where should we visit? pic.twitter.com/7yZvws9AS5
— Brendan OConnell (@BrendanOConnel) May 25, 2023
wow... pic.twitter.com/ymLKy1Klr6
— Andy Simpson 🇬🇧 (@ndyjsimpson) May 25, 2023
If I do get access before I go offline, I'll post some quick screenshots on Twitter @rustybrick and try to embed them below this. It is the best I can do with having to turn off everything for the holiday.
Google said, "Once you're in, the new generative AI powered Search experience will help you take some of the work out of searching, so you can understand a topic faster, uncover new viewpoints and insights and get things done more easily. So instead of asking a series of questions and piecing together that information yourself, Search now can do some of that heavy lifting for you."
To see my deep-dive on the Google Search Generative Experience announcement, read over here.
My Really Quick Review
Then at about 5pm ET I gained access and I really don't have time, so I did a Twitter thread which I am embedding here. I will say that I am very impressed with the clickability of the results, I do think it will drive clicks to publishers:
Here we go, let's get started pic.twitter.com/nEvvKn9xos
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
When does my holiday start, it is not giving me the time but I do like how you can expand the answers and look at all those snackable organic/free links you can click on pic.twitter.com/yjhNsXwCdY
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
I should get a haircut but I honestly don't pay more than $20-25 in my area, not sure what this is about. I do like the 5 pack (no longer a 3 paack) pic.twitter.com/YWVWbrOEs0
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
Here are some "how to" queries pic.twitter.com/WXAZYtATNY
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
More health/medical queries where Google is happy to give generative AI answers pic.twitter.com/iKz5AwZSjW
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
SGE not shy about medical queries but they do have "This is for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute medical advice or diagnosis." pic.twitter.com/Aw5yrkNe4D
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 28, 2023
Let's do some sports questions pic.twitter.com/yr6Du9laUO
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
Asking for marriage'ish advice :) pic.twitter.com/654BmHOkLO
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
Politics and news - not much here pic.twitter.com/tvudZjynbg
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
More financial queries, super limited in generative AI pic.twitter.com/eWjYLoLbFe
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
More mobile pic.twitter.com/mLQ3Zw8OzU
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
Here are real estate results and the second part shows that Google still shows featured snippets:
Going offline soon, but I found featured snippet still do show up. pic.twitter.com/d4xro2bHFl
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
People also ask also...
Trying to bring up some recent stories I wrote... pic.twitter.com/Y4lxDsKozH
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 25, 2023
most navigational branded queries don't generate answers... pic.twitter.com/v61DadFnNf
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 28, 2023
Happy futuristic searching folks!
Forum discussion at Twitter.
Note: This was pre-written and scheduled to be posted today, I am currently offline for Shavout.
