Google's New "Search Live" Feature Adds Voice Chat to Search. But Is It Useful Yet?

Google is stepping up its AI game with a new feature called Search Live that lets you talk to Google Search like you would to a voice assistant. You can now ask Google a question out loud, and it will answer you with a voice, thanks to an AI model based on Gemini. 

Google in its blog post writes that you can even keep talking by asking follow-up questions without having to type or rephrase.  It says that this is great for doing more than one thing at once, such when your hands are full or you're on the move. But let's take a closer look at what's really going on.

A Closer Look at the Technology 

Google says that Search Live uses a "custom version of Gemini" that works better with voice.  It also employs regular search engines to get accurate results and a method called "query fan-out," which means it tries to get results from a larger range of sources. 

In theory, that's a great idea; it may bring up more varied stuff instead of the same old top links.  You may even use the feature in the background, so you can talk to Google while using other apps.  You can read answers or type new questions by using the transcript option.  There is also a history log for your search discussion if you wish to go back to it. 

So, What's The Catch?

At the moment, just a small number of people can access it.  You have to join up for Labs, which hardly everyone knows about, let alone has signed up for.  We've seen "conversational search" before with Google Assistant and other voice capabilities, and most consumers still wind up typing their requests anyway. There is also the wider question of whether individuals actually want to talk to their search engine.  Google is betting yes, especially when existing AI tools are making search feel old-fashioned.  But unless it gets a lot faster, smarter, and easier to use than just putting in a question, this would seem more like a nice demo than a game-changer. 

What's Next? 

Google promises that Search Live will soon be able to take camera input, which means you can show Google what you're talking about instead of just describing it.  That's undoubtedly a big goal, but the real test will be if users find it easier to use than the tools they already have. 

Read More: Google Messages Gets Snooze, Delete for Everyone: Here’s What It Means