Google is testing a new feature called ‘Audio Overviews’ that adds short, AI-generated audio summaries to search results. Available through Search Labs, this feature is currently limited to users in the US (for now, it only supports English). It is clearly designed to give people an easier way to understand information by listening instead of reading. The feature is powered by Gemini, the company’s advanced AI model that is also used in products like NotebookLM.
Under this feature, for certain topics (like questions about how something works or general explanations), the company now offers a button labelled ‘Generate Audio Overview.’ When tapped, the system creates a short audio summary within about 40 seconds. The information in each audio overview is based on existing web content, and Google includes links to the original sources below the player so users can read more if they want.
The unique part of this feature is how the audio is delivered. Unlike typical robotic voice assistants, the audio is presented as a conversation between two AI-generated voices (which sounds like a casual discussion or podcast). These overviews typically run for about four minutes, though they may vary depending on the subject matter.
Additionally, the audio player includes basic controls – including play, pause, volume, and speed adjustment (ranging from 0.25x to 2x). Users can also rate the summaries with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to help the company improve the feature. Currently, Audio Overviews are only available to people who have opted in to Search Labs, which is accessible through the Google app or Chrome browser. However, the tech titan has not yet announced when the feature will be released to a wider audience.
This latest feature, Audio Overviews, is part of the company’s wider effort to make search results more interactive and easier to use in different situations. Earlier, during its I/O 2024 conference, the tech giant introduced several new AI-powered updates aimed at improving the search experience, including ‘AI Overviews‘ and later a new ‘AI Mode’. With these changes, the company is working to make information easier to understand by combining text, images, and now, audio.
But at the same time, Google’s AI efforts are no strangers to controversies. One of the main concerns involves AI Overviews, which have allegedly led to a drop in traffic for some publishers and websites. Even this AI Overview feature was temporarily suspended in 2024, after it provided inaccurate answers, like recommending users put glue on pizza to keep the cheese on. More recently, the company paused the rollout of its AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ feature (which uses a specialized version of the Gemini model) due to concerns over latency and quality.
Content originally published on The Tech Media – Global technology news, latest gadget news and breaking tech news.
