Google Search is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the power of artificial intelligence (AI), according to CEO Sundar Pichai. During the company's recent earnings call, Pichai revealed that 2025 will be a pivotal year for search innovation, with AI features set to revolutionize the way users interact with the search engine.

The journey began with AI overviews, a feature that has been met with controversy due to its occasional inaccuracies. However, Pichai emphasized that this was just the starting point, and Google is committed to pushing the boundaries of AI in Search. The ultimate goal is to create an AI assistant that can browse the internet, analyze web pages, and provide users with direct answers – a far cry from the traditional list of ten blue links.

This shift has significant implications for websites that rely on Google's traffic and businesses that buy ads on Google Search. While not everyone is pleased with the changes, Google is pressing forward with its AI-powered vision. Pichai cited Project Astra, a multimodal AI system developed by DeepMind, as a key component of this strategy. Astra can process live video feeds and answer user questions in real-time, and Google plans to integrate it into Search and even power augmented reality smart glasses in the future.

Another AI agent, Gemini Deep Research, is also set to play a crucial role in transforming Search. This system can create long, in-depth research reports in a matter of minutes, automating tasks that users would typically perform using Google Search. Pichai believes that this will dramatically expand the types of use cases for which Search can be used, enabling users to ask more complex questions and receive detailed answers.

Furthermore, Pichai hinted at the potential of Project Mariner, an AI agent that can interact with websites on behalf of users, making it unnecessary for people to visit websites directly. This could fundamentally alter the way users interact with the internet, and Google is exploring ways to leverage Mariner to create new Search experiences.

In addition, Pichai expressed interest in allowing users to interact more with Google Search, asking follow-up questions and engaging in a more conversational experience. While details are scarce, this suggests that Google is considering ways to make its Search interface more akin to a chatbot.

The driving force behind these changes is the rise of AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT, which has become one of the internet's most used products with hundreds of millions of weekly users. Google is responding to this existential threat by building its own AI chatbot, Gemini, and injecting AI features directly into Search.

Despite the initial missteps with AI overviews, which displayed inaccurate and bizarre responses, Google appears undeterred in its pursuit of AI-infused Search. As Pichai emphasized, the company has a "clear sense" of the Search experiences it can create with its AI agents, and 2025 is poised to be a pivotal year in this journey.

As Google continues to push the boundaries of AI in Search, the implications for the tech industry and users alike will be significant. With Pichai at the helm, it's clear that Google is committed to revolutionizing the way we interact with the internet, and the future of Search looks more exciting – and uncertain – than ever.