Google’s Search Generation Experience (SGE) is stepping in to compete with Microsoft’s Bing Chat by introducing its own rendering tool. This feature allows users to create images based on text prompts.
Working similarly to Bing Chat, Google Search lets you enter some text and generates four images in response within seconds. What sets this feature apart from others is that you can choose one of the images and customize it further by editing its description to add more details. For example, the one who prepares breakfast for SGE in a forest “photorealistic image of a capybara” You can tell it to render and then change certain elements, such as changing the food the capybara cooks or changing the background scenery.
This functionality won’t be limited to just Google Search; Google also plans to expand to Google Images, where users will have the option to create images directly generated by AI. This integration will replace one of the image search results with a button that provides access to the image rendering engine, which will appear in a separate subwindow.
However, there are some limitations to this experiment. Google has taken measures to prevent content that conflicts with its generative AI policy, including illegal activities, misinformation, and explicit content that does not serve educational or artistic purposes. In addition, each image created will be marked with “metadata tagging” and a watermark, indicating that it was created by an AI.
In the future, AI-generated content will be presented with an “About This Image” description to provide users with the necessary context and prevent the spread of misinformation.
Google emphasizes that this test is currently only available in English for American users who choose to participate in the SGE program. Users must also be 18 years of age or older to access this feature. It is stated that not everyone will have access to this feature and Google has not announced expansion plans.
For those interested in joining the program, Google offers a step-by-step guide on how to sign up for SGE on the Search Labs website, which can be accessed on both desktop and mobile devices.
Beyond creating images, SGE can also assist with text creation, such as drafting messages or emails. Users can ask SGE to create drafts, and Google gives the example of the AI drafting a message to a contractor requesting a renovation quote. The created drafts can then be edited and personalized in Google Docs or Gmail, offering the same level of data protection as other Google Workspace services.
Just like image creation, SGE blueprints are currently available in English for American users, with no official word yet on international availability.