SGE is coming soon to a website near you.

Is Google’s highly-discussed artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search result engine, called the Search Generative Experience (SGE), going to be released soon, or is it simply an experimental project by Google to assess public response? The birth of SGE (Search Engine Optimization) has been a widely discussed issue in numerous forums, seminars, webinars, publications, and RSS feeds, amidst the ongoing debate about the decline of traditional SEO approaches. Nevertheless, the unresolved inquiry persists: will Google completely execute this groundbreaking Search Generative Experience?

The assumption gained momentum after it was revealed that Google had submitted a patent application for “Generative summaries for search results.” Verification using the US Patent Public Search has established that Google successfully filed for and obtained a patent, receiving clearance on 9/26/23, under the Patent No. US-11769017-B1. This 34-page document indicates a possible fundamental change in the operational capabilities of Google’s search engine.

To examine the practical consequences of SGE, we were given the chance to register for entry to the SGE laboratory in May. The lab’s prolonged term, which was initially planned to end in December, has led to speculation that Google may be preparing to implement this groundbreaking search process in real-time. The issuance of the patent and the lab’s sustained functioning contribute to the conviction that SGE may indeed materialize.

What are the reasons for corporations to be concerned? The experiences we had in the SGE lab revealed fascinating changes in search results. Websites that typically occupied a position on the initial page of search results for particular keywords were conspicuously missing or downgraded in the lab’s experiments. In contrast, firms who were formerly placed on pages 4 or 5 suddenly found themselves on the highly desirable first page. These findings indicate that SGE has the capacity to substantially transform the digital landscape.

Google has utilized human website SEO raters for more than 15 years to evaluate and determine the quality of websites. In January 2023, Google made a significant move by terminating almost 12,000 employees, which accounted for approximately 5% of the total employment. In January 2024, Google stated that it would not be renewing its contract with Appen, a third-party company that employs human raters to assess the quality of its search engine. As a result, hundreds of human raters left the company.

Google’s implementation of these strategic maneuvers and the introduction of the SGE suggests a shift towards a more automated methodology for generating search results. Prepare yourselves; the Search Generative Experience has the potential to become an essential aspect of your online experience, fundamentally changing how websites are ranked and transforming the mechanics of digital visibility.SGE marks a crucial turning point in the evolution of internet search, and businesses must remain attentive to this development.