Google launches Circle to Search and AI-powered multisearch features

Google has introduced two major updates to its Search option, taking a step closer to its dream of a "future where you can search any way, anywhere you want", according to a blog post shared by the tech giant. The two updates unveiled by Google on Wednesday are Circle to Search and an AI-powered multisearch experience.

These updates will make Search even more natural and intuitive, said Google in a statement.

Circle (or highlight or scribble) to Search

Google's Circle to Search will enable the user to search for anything on his Android phone screen without switching apps. One can select images, text, or videos with a simple gesture like circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping and get the desired results.

Circle to Search will launch globally on select premium Android smartphones on January 31, starting with the Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro, and the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S24 series.

"The recent breakthrough in generative AI, multisearch, makes exploring the world easier than ever before," Elizabeth Reid, VP of Google Search, said in a blog post.

AI-powered multisearch feature

The new multisearch feature will show results with AI-powered insights that go beyond the visual matches. It allows the user to search for more complex questions and quickly find and display in-depth information to make the user understand better.

"Just take a picture of the game, add your question (“How do you play this?”), and you’ll get an AI-powered overview that brings together the most relevant information from across the web. This way, you can quickly find out what the game is called and how to win. And with the AI-powered overview, it’s easy to dig deeper with supporting links and get all the details," said Reid.

Google will launch AI-powered overviews on multisearch results this week in English in the US for everyone. To get started, just look for the Lens camera icon in the Google app for both Android and iOS.

The ongoing advancements in AI help users better understand information in its many forms — whether it’s text, audio, images, or videos. Google currently has the option for voice search and also camera search using Lens.

Google, in its blog post, said that the company's goal is to make AI helpful for everyone, not just early adopters. "As we continue to experiment and uncover which applications of gen AI are most helpful, we’ll introduce them into Search more broadly, like we’re doing now with multisearch results," Google added in the blog post.