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Google Tests an AI-Only Version of Its Search Engine

A man stands in front of a Google logo during a media reception at the Google France headquarters ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, France, February 9, 2025. (Reuters)
A man stands in front of a Google logo during a media reception at the Google France headquarters ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, France, February 9, 2025. (Reuters)
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Google Tests an AI-Only Version of Its Search Engine

A man stands in front of a Google logo during a media reception at the Google France headquarters ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, France, February 9, 2025. (Reuters)
A man stands in front of a Google logo during a media reception at the Google France headquarters ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, France, February 9, 2025. (Reuters)

Alphabet's Google launched an experimental version of its search engine on Wednesday that completely eliminates its classic 10 blue links in favor of an AI-generated summary.

The new feature, available to subscribers of Google One AI Premium, can be accessed via the results page for any search query by clicking on a tab labeled "AI Mode" to the side of existing options like Images and Maps.

"We've heard from power users that they want AI responses for even more of their searches," Robby Stein, a vice president of product, said in a blog post.

Google One AI Premium is a $19.99 per month plan that provides extra cloud storage and special access to some AI features.

Google currently displays AI Overviews, summaries that are increasingly appearing atop the traditional hyperlinks to relevant webpages, for users in more than 100 countries.

It began adding advertisements to AI Overviews last May.

With AI Mode, users see a more comprehensive AI summary have been replaced by a search bar for asking follow-up questions.

Google said AI Mode is being powered by a custom version of its Gemini 2.0 model with reasoning capabilities that make it better equipped to handle complex queries.

Alphabet's $350 billion in 2024 revenue was primarily driven by search-related advertising. But it is facing the biggest challenge to its core business in years from AI challengers led by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, which added search functions to ChatGPT last October.

Google has made integrating AI into search its biggest bet, investment chief Ruth Porat said at the Reuters NEXT conference in December.

In February, edtech company Chegg sued Google, accusing the previews of eroding demand for original content and undermining publishers' ability to compete.

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Technology

KAUST Scientists Develop AI-Generated Data to Improve Environmental Disaster Tracking

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo
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KAUST Scientists Develop AI-Generated Data to Improve Environmental Disaster Tracking

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) logo

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and SARsatX, a Saudi company specializing in Earth observation technologies, have developed computer-generated data to train deep learning models to predict oil spills.

According to KAUST, validating the use of synthetic data is crucial for monitoring environmental disasters, as early detection and rapid response can significantly reduce the risks of environmental damage.

Dean of the Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division at KAUST Dr. Matthew McCabe noted that one of the biggest challenges in environmental applications of artificial intelligence is the shortage of high-quality training data.

He explained that this challenge can be addressed by using deep learning to generate synthetic data from a very small sample of real data and then training predictive AI models on it.

This approach can significantly enhance efforts to protect the marine environment by enabling faster and more reliable monitoring of oil spills while reducing the logistical and environmental challenges associated with data collection.

Technology

Uber, Lyft to Test Baidu Robotaxis in UK from Next Year 

A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)
A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)
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Uber, Lyft to Test Baidu Robotaxis in UK from Next Year 

A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)
A sign of Baidu is pictured at the company's headquarters in Beijing, China March 16, 2023. (Reuters)

Uber Technologies and Lyft are teaming up with Chinese tech giant Baidu to try out driverless taxis in the UK next year, marking a major step in the global race to commercialize robotaxis.

It highlights how ride-hailing platforms are accelerating autonomous rollout through partnerships, positioning London as an early proving ground for large-scale robotaxi services ‌in Europe.

Lyft, meanwhile, plans ‌to deploy Baidu's ‌autonomous ⁠vehicles in Germany ‌and the UK under its platform, pending regulatory approval. Both companies have abandoned in-house development of autonomous vehicles and now rely on alliances to accelerate adoption.

The partnerships underscore how global robotaxi rollouts are gaining momentum. ⁠Alphabet's Waymo said in October it would start ‌tests in London this ‍month, while Baidu ‍and WeRide have launched operations in the ‍Middle East and Switzerland.

Robotaxis promise safer, greener and more cost-efficient rides, but profitability remains uncertain. Public companies like Pony.ai and WeRide are still loss-making, and analysts warn the economics of expensive fleets could pressure margins ⁠for platforms such as Uber and Lyft.

Analysts have said hybrid networks, mixing robotaxis with human drivers, may be the most viable model to manage demand peaks and pricing.

Lyft completed its $200 million acquisition of European taxi app FreeNow from BMW and Mercedes-Benz in July, marking its first major expansion beyond North America and ‌giving the US ride-hailing firm access to nine countries across Europe.

Technology

Italy Fines Apple Nearly 100m Euros over App Privacy Feature

An Apple logo hangs above the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City, July 21, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
An Apple logo hangs above the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City, July 21, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Italy Fines Apple Nearly 100m Euros over App Privacy Feature

An Apple logo hangs above the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City, July 21, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
An Apple logo hangs above the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City, July 21, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Italy's competition authority said Monday it had fined US tech giant Apple 98 million euros ($115 million) for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the mobile app market.

According to AFP, the AGCM said in a statement that Apple had violated privacy regulations for third-party developers in a market where it "holds a super-dominant position through its App Store".

The body said its investigation had established the "restrictive nature" of the "privacy rules imposed by Apple... on third-party developers of apps distributed through the App Store".

The rules of Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) "are imposed unilaterally and harm the interests of Apple's commercial partners", according to the AGCM statement.

French antitrust authorities earlier this year handed Apple a 150-million euro fine over its app tracking privacy feature.

Authorities elsewhere in Europe have also opened similar probes over ATT, which Apple promotes as a privacy safeguard.

The feature, introduced by Apple in 2021, requires apps to obtain user consent through a pop-up window before tracking their activity across other apps and websites.

If they decline, the app loses access to information on that user which enables ad targeting.

Critics have accused Apple of using the system to promote its own advertising services while restricting competitors.