# Google Search AI Features: Summaries, Lens, and Circle to Search
Google has recently unveiled a variety of new AI-enhanced functionalities for its primary services, such as Google Search, Google Lens, and Circle to Search. These enhancements aim to improve the user experience by simplifying the process of information retrieval, particularly in the areas of shopping and visual searches. The timing of these updates is especially strategic, as they come just in time for the holiday shopping season, positioning Google as a crucial resource for consumers making informed buying choices.
## AI Summaries: Structured Search and Ads
One of the most notable updates is the launch of **AI Summaries** within Google Search. This function utilizes generative AI to structure search results, facilitating easier information access for users. Although AI Summaries have sparked some debate since their initial introduction, Google asserts that users who engage with this feature generally use Search more frequently and express greater satisfaction with their results.
### Structured Search Results
Beginning this week, Google will start structuring search results with AI for certain query types, such as recipes and meal ideas. This feature will be rolled out first on mobile devices in the U.S. Google has conducted tests on this feature and claims that AI-structured results provide more assistance, although it remains to be seen how these results will compare to previous search encounters.
### Ads in AI Summaries
Furthermore, Google is also embedding **ads** within AI Summaries. These advertisements will be integrated directly into the AI-generated content, offering users a more immediate way to connect with businesses. Google maintains that users consider these ads beneficial, as they can streamline the process of locating pertinent products or services. However, this functionality will be initially available only in the U.S.
## Google Lens: Upgraded Visual Search
Google Lens is also undergoing a significant enhancement, with new AI functionalities that simplify image and video searches. These improvements are intended to assist users in identifying information about various objects, products, and even videos they encounter in everyday life.
### Video Search with Google Lens
One of the most exciting new capabilities is the option to search using **videos**. Users can now record a video and solicit information from Google’s AI about the content. The AI will assess both the video and the spoken query to produce an AI Summary containing relevant information from around the web. This feature is currently available to users participating in the “AI Summaries and more” experiment via Search Labs and is set to expand globally for both Android and iPhone users, although it will initially support English only.
### Voice Input for Static Images
In addition to video searches, Google Lens now features **voice input** for still images. Users can capture a photo and ask a question verbally, with the AI providing pertinent search results. This functionality is also available globally for English queries on both Android and iPhone platforms.
### Multisearch for Shopping
Moreover, Google Lens is broadening its **multisearch** functionalities, specifically for shopping. Users can snap a photo of a desired product and then use text to refine their search. For instance, if you see a sofa in a showroom and prefer it in a different shade, you can take a picture and indicate the color you’re seeking. Google Lens will subsequently search the web for similar items, making it simpler to locate precisely what you desire.
Additionally, Google Lens will now showcase key details about products identified in photos, such as prices, promotions, and reviews. This functionality is powered by Google’s **Shopping Graph** and will launch in select countries starting this week, focusing on popular holiday shopping categories like toys, electronics, and cosmetics.
## Circle to Search: Visual Search and Music Recognition
Google’s **Circle to Search** feature is yet another AI-driven tool that enables users to seek information based on what is displayed on their phone screens. This feature proves particularly advantageous for shopping, as users can circle a product seen in a video or social media post to search for it online.
### Music Recognition
In addition to product searches, Circle to Search can now identify **music**. Whether you’re watching a video or scanning through social media, you can utilize Circle to Search to listen to a track and recognize it. This feature is part of Google’s larger initiative to incorporate AI into everyday tasks, simplifying information retrieval without the need for typing queries.
### Expanded Accessibility
Google is also broadening the accessibility of Circle to Search to a greater number of Android users. The feature will now be available on over **150 million Android devices**, further augmenting the visual search capabilities within Google’s ecosystem.
## Conclusion
Google’s recent AI enhancements to Search, Lens, and Circle to Search are intended to streamline the search for information, making it faster and more intuitive. Whether you’re seeking a product you noticed in a store, attempting to identify a song from a video, or searching for meal ideas, these new features aim to deliver more organized and relevant outcomes. However, the introduction of
