Google on Friday began letting people turn online searches into conversations, with generative artificial intelligence providing spoken summaries of query results.

With Audio Overviews, Gemini AI models quickly sum up query results in conversational style, according to Google.

"An audio overview can help you get a lay of the land, offering a convenient, hands-free way to absorb information whether you're multitasking or simply prefer an audio experience," Google said in a blog post.

"We display helpful web pages right within the audio player on the search results page so you can easily dive in and learn more."

Google is beefing up online search with generative artificial intelligence, embracing AI despite fears for its ad-based business model.

CEO Sundar Pichai recently unveiled a new AI mode in Google search.

The search engine's nascent AI mode goes further than AI Overviews which display answers to queries from the tech giant's generative AI powers above the traditional blue links to websites and ads.

Since Google debuted AI Overviews in search slightly more than a year ago, it has grown to more than 1.5 billion users across several countries, according to Pichai.

Google's push into generative AI comes amid intensifying competition with OpenAI's ChatGPT, which has itself incorporated search engine features into its popular chatbot.

Source: AFP