Neural Notes: Google considers charging for AI search results

Welcome back to Neural Notes, a weekly column where I take a look at some of the biggest (and sometimes weirdest) AI news of the week. In this edition: Google considers charging for AI-powered Google searches.

Google: “Money please”

Google — the tech giant that made a historic $112.3 billion in net income  in 2023 — is considering introducing a paid model for its AI-enhanced search capabilities.

This shift would mark the first time Google has placed its core search functionalities behind a subscription paywall. At the present time, Google Search has operated on a free and ad-supported business model.

At the heart of Google’s new proposition is the integration of advanced, AI-powered search features within its premium subscription offerings.

This initiative, still in the beta phase and accessible to a limited user base, utilises generative AI to craft responses to user queries in a direct, conversational manner, mirroring the capabilities seen in platforms like ChatGPT.

The alleged strategic overhaul was first reported by the Financial Times and is yet to garner official confirmation from Google.

However, the company has hinted at its ongoing efforts to enhance its subscription services with new features. “As we’ve done many times before, we’ll continue to build new premium capabilities and services to enhance our subscription offerings across Google,” a Google spokesperson stated, maintaining the company’s traditional reticence on unreleased projects.

Google’s contemplation of a paywall for premium AI search features emerges against a backdrop of substantial financial commitment to AI by tech giants, with Amazon, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta leading the charge.

These companies have poured resources into AI development, spotlighting the sector’s transition towards more sophisticated, and inherently costlier, technological solutions.

This strategic pivot also reflects a broader trend of monetising AI capabilities, as seen with other players in the field. Most major players in the AI space are charging for it in some way.

Google’s approach, however, does have a marked difference. For over 25 years Google has become so powerful that its very name became a verb for internet searches. Charging for that could potentially transform user expectations and the competitive dynamics of the entire search industry.

What if that model is expanded, so only those who pay can access the most up-to-date and accurate AI-powered information? The very concept of democratised access to information would be in jeopardy.

This notion may seem farcical, and far-fetched. But this is the same company being sued for allegedly using personal information and copyrighted materials to train some AI products, such as Google Bard, which has since been rebranded to Google Gemini.

Let’s hope that this time around, if true, Google follows its own motto: Do the right thing.

Other AI news this week

• Amazon is shutting down its AI-powered ‘just walk out’ grocery system. This allowed customers to simply grab their shopping items and leave, with their purchases being tracked with cameras and sensors. It will still operate in Amazon Go convenience stores but will be replaced by smart carts that scan items in other stores. Ironically, the experiment’s failure was due to it not being cost-effective and the continued heavy reliance on human labour to make it work.
• You’ve heard of greenwashing, but how about AI washing? Ever since AI began popping off in popularity it seems like every company has been scrambling to shove the term somewhere in their product offerings… even when it’s not actually correct. Once again a lack of regulation in the space makes this difficult to police, so here’s what to look out for.
• OpenAI is broadening its Custom Model initiative, aimed at assisting enterprise clients in creating specialised generative AI models.
• PatientNotes, the Aussie startup that brings generative AI to the doctor’s office, just expanded into iOS.
• Canva has made its AI security Shield product open-source.