The news that OpenAI is developing a search product to rival Google feels less like a surprise and more like an inevitable future I have been anticipating for over a decade. In fact, I was just discussing this with my associate, Kishan, remarking on how this is the exact shift I've been writing about.
It is striking to see the very ideas I wrote about years ago manifest so clearly today. Back in 2010, I reflected on the trajectory of information access. In a post titled "Future of Search Engines", I noted:
"I am acutely conscious that in another 25 years, no one will search for 'INFORMATION' on Google - Yahoo - MSN etc. They will enter their current / expected 'problem' in a hand - held device and receive readymade 'solution / answer / advice' in milliseconds!"
This was the core of my prediction: a fundamental shift from a list of links—'information'—to a direct, synthesized 'solution'. We are no longer just looking for webpages; we are looking for answers.
When ChatGPT emerged, I saw the beginning of this transformation so clearly that I felt compelled to address the industry leader directly. In my December 2022 piece, "Google, watch out – here comes ChatGPT", I wrote to Sundar Pichai, urging him to evolve Google by integrating a conversational, solution-oriented interface next to the traditional search bar. The suggestion was to move beyond indexing the web and towards understanding and answering user queries directly.
Now, with OpenAI's new venture, we see this exact model coming to life. Their product aims to search the web, synthesize information, and provide cited answers. This isn't just a new feature; it is the next logical step in our relationship with information, powered by AI.
Reflecting on this today, I feel a sense of validation. The path I envisioned is the one we are now on. The age of conversational AI providing direct solutions is no longer a distant thought experiment; it is the new competitive frontier. The challenge I laid out years ago is now the central battleground for the giants of technology.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
No comments:
Post a Comment