Mountain View: Google on Tuesday said it would introduce AI-generated answers to online queries, in one of the biggest changes to its search engine in 25 years.

“I’m excited to announce that we will begin launching this fully revamped experience, ‘AI overviews,’ to everyone in the US this week,” Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said at an event in California.

The feature would soon be available in other countries, he added, and accessible to more than a billion people.

With the change, Google’s search results will feature an AI summary at the top of the page before the more typical unfurling of links and features.

These AI answers, generated by Google’s Gemini technology, offer succinct summaries of its findings with links to the online sources that supplied the information.

“You can ask whatever’s on your mind or whatever you need to get done - from researching to planning to brainstorming - and Google will take care of the legwork,” said Google Search team boss Liz Reid.

The change seems to be an answer to growing pressure from AI-powered search engines like Perplexity, and the repeated rumors that OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is building its own AI search tool.

Searches through AI chats have also become a feature of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, with users able to get information from the web without resorting to Google.

These alternatives are praised by some for providing a much cleaner experience to search users than the often cluttered results of a classic search query.

Creators and small publishers are nervous about the change, fearing users will no longer click through to websites to find information.

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Research firm Gartner predicts traffic to the web from search engines will fall 25 percent by 2026 because of the introduction of AI bots.

Google pushed back at the suggestion that ChatGPT-style AI interactions could impact its business, which depends almost exclusively on advertising sales from its search engine.

“We’ve found that with AI Overviews, people use Search more, and are more satisfied with their results,” Reid said.

“Rather than breaking your question into multiple searches, you can ask your most complex questions, with all the nuances and caveats you have in mind, all in one go.”

The company said such generative AI tools are making life easier for users, whether they’re looking for a yoga studio, planning a trip or preparing a meal.

The company will also soon start testing applying AI to searches based on video content as the query source, according to Reid.

As an example, this would allow users to ask Google to diagnose a broken appliance by filming it with a smartphone and get tips for getting it fixed.

‘Intuitive and helpful’

Such multimodal queries were among the highlights of OpenAI’s release on Monday of GPT-4o, an update to OpenAI’s flagship model.

GPT-4o can generate content or understand commands in voice, text, or images.

OpenAI’s update to its technology proved to be extremely conversational – able to crack jokes, write songs and help tutor a student in algebra.

Google, like OpenAI, also showed demos of staff members asking its AI to recognize the surroundings via a smartphone camera and demonstrate other assistant-like skills.

These new abilities are designed to be “conversational, intuitive and helpful,” according to Gemini Experiences and Google Assistant general manager Sissie Hsiao.

“You can collaborate with the most intelligent and personalized Gemini yet.”

Making digital assistants even smarter and human-like is seen as the next battleground for generative AI, with Apple close to an agreement with OpenAI to use the powers of ChatGPT on the iPhone, according to US media reports.

That deal could be part of the major AI announcements expected from the iPhone maker at an event in California next month.

Karachi: There has been a huge increase in the price of per tola gold across the country by Rs3,900 on Wednesday.

According to All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Association (APGJA), after the increase, per tola gold has become Rs244,000.

Similarly, the price of 10 grams of gold has also increased to Rs209,191.

On the other hand, an increase in the price of gold per ounce in the world market was seen by 28 dollars, which recorded the price of gold per ounce at $2,366.

Islamabad: Former federal minister Faisal Vawda Wednesday demanded the evidence for interference in judicial matters.

While addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he stated that Babar Sattar says that before becoming a judge, he sent a report to the then Chief Justice Athar Minullah. ‘We said that there will be something written in the record room regarding it. But we are not getting the answer’.

He added that under Article-19A, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Qazi Faez Isa, ordered that every Pakistani can ask anyone. Pakistanis are far away, a senator is not getting an answer, now the confusion is increasing. Doubts are emerging as to what is the logic behind it.

Vawda continued to say that things happened a year ago, they remembered a year later, so why did not they tell a year ago. Now, if the interference happened the day after tomorrow, blaming will not work, now you will have to give evidence that who interfered, why and if you give the evidence, then we stand with you. ‘Otherwise, I will also pick up the phone and say, that the judge has said that if you commit murder, there will be no trial’.

Faisal Vawda further said that we are not getting an answer, we should be told whether all this is written in the record and if it is not part of the record, then there will be consequences. Mr. Athar Minullah makes historical decisions. I think he is a principled man and doesn't come under pressure. He does not meet anyone in the dark of night, so he cannot make the mistake of not taking things in writing. We should get that record, why don't we ask for it.

According to the former minister, you took notice of social media, but when our mothers were trolled online, you should have taken notice of that also. But Justice Mansoor Ali Shah spoke very well. We should be happy about self-accountability. But there is a tension under which intelligence agencies are repeatedly being named, then give evidence. And if what you said is verbal and not written, then there is a problem. Clarify it, so that it leads to a logical conclusion.

He also said that low-cost bread, any stay order for the poor? What happened to the Nasla Tower victims? 40 years ago, Bhutto was symbolically sentenced, you are telling us, we already knew this. Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for not taking money, but no one asked, Imran Khan's government was not allowed to run. How long will we go on like this, if a lawmaker cannot hold a dual citizenship, how can a judge sit with a dual citizenship?

He said that Pakistan is important for us. Where is it written in the constitution and law that police and security personnel will protect the border, where is it written that those who have sacrificed should be charged? If the allegations against him are true then show the evidence. According to their letter, we need paperwork too, enough of mockery with Pakistan, I hope the answer should come soon.

The senator continued that you should ban social media but not for yourself, for everyone. My mother was on her death bed, then justice providers threw my turbans, now if someone throws a turban in Pakistan, then we will make a football of their turbans. If you love, you will get double love, but if you do bad things, you will do double bad things. Stop targeting institutions, if there is no army, then Pakistan will not survive. Give evidence of their interference. You give bail, but we are questioned, you send to jail, but we are questioned. If someone takes you in a jeep, sit in front of the jeep.

He further said that there are many secrets, there is homework, but I think Athar Minullah does not judge on headlines, he cannot make such a big mistake. If it is written, then the question is over, the matter is over. But if the record is not written, then the question will arise, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) will have to intervene in it.