Google’s AI Search Experiment: The ‘Learn About’ Feature

Google has quietly unveiled a new AI-powered search experiment called “Learn About,” which is set to revolutionise the way we search for information. This innovative search engine reimagines the traditional search process by summarising content and providing interactive navigational menus that guide users to explore related subtopics.

The feature introduces “Interactive Lists,” a drill-down navigation system that presents users with additional layers of information as they scroll. As users move through the content, they are continuously shown summaries and links to more detailed, human-created content, encouraging deeper exploration.

The user experience mimics a “choose-your-own-adventure” storybook, where the narrative unfolds based on the user’s selections. This novel approach aims to provide a more dynamic and engaging way to discover content, offering a personalised journey through information rather than just delivering static search results.

 

Google’s Learning Initiative

The “Learn About” AI Search is part of Google Labs and integrated within Google’s broader Learning Initiative. This initiative aims to offer a range of educational resources and projects designed to foster learning and deepen understanding. The Learning Initiative page provides links to various related projects, such as:

• Learn About
• Shiffbot
• Illuminate
• NotebookLM
• Pilot Program (providing early access to AI products for 12+ education)

These experiments focus on leveraging AI to create interactive learning tools, such as using AI learning resources to develop songs or explore virtual travel to Mars.

The “Learn About” feature itself is designed to help users grasp new topics and expand their knowledge through an adaptable, conversational, AI-powered learning companion. This approach allows for a more engaging and personalised learning experience, offering users the ability to explore and understand complex subjects in a dynamic, step-by-step manner.

 

Interactive List User Interface

The Learn About AI Search engine features Interactive List exploration menus that are accompanied by images, capitalising on the fact that humans are naturally visually oriented. This visual element helps users to quickly comprehend written content, as the images serve to reinforce the accompanying text, making the information more digestible and engaging.

The images within the interactive menus are sourced from popular stock image providers like Shutterstock, Adobe, and Alamy. Notably, none of the images appear to be sourced from creator websites, maintaining a more commercial and stock-based approach.

When users pose questions, the system triggers a summary and presents a drill-down navigational menu, called an Interactive List. This leads users to related topics and progressively more detailed summaries, often followed by additional Interactive Lists for deeper exploration.

Further down, a section titled “Explore related content” provides links to actual human-created content, such as YouTube videos and various website articles. To enhance the user experience, beneath these links, there are buttons offering options like Simplify, Go deeper, or Get images. Additionally, speech balloons appear beneath these options, presenting more related search queries for users to explore further.

 

Availability Of Learn About

Learn About is currently available to users in the United States who are 18 years or older, and it is offered in English.

Interestingly, the platform attempts to answer questions in Spanish but quickly replaces the response with a message stating that it doesn’t yet support the language. However, if a user asks a question in English followed by one in Spanish, Learn About may answer the first question in English and provide links to Spanish-language human-created content.

In addition to its bilingual capabilities, Learn About can also understand queries containing typos. For instance, one of the Spanish queries tested included a typo in the word “comer,” where the letter “r” was missing. The question, “Es posible a comer el ojo de un pescado?” (which translates to “Is it possible to eat the eye of a fish?”) was still understood by the system, showcasing its ability to handle errors in spelling while delivering an answer.

 

Privacy Controls

Google’s Learn About platform comes with privacy controls, which are outlined in a consent form that users must agree to before using the service.

The consent form provides detailed information about how Google handles user questions, including a warning not to ask personal or private questions. It also includes instructions on managing the data saved by Learn About. Additionally, it mentions that human reviewers may access some of the information shared with the platform, though any identifying details will be removed.

The consent agreement states:

“Google stores your Learn About activity with your Google Account for up to 18 months. You can choose to delete your Learn About data at any time by clicking the settings button next to your Google account profile photo in Learn About and then selecting ‘Delete activity.’

To assist with improving the quality of our products, such as the generative machine-learning models powering Learn About, human reviewers may read, annotate, and process your Learn About conversations. While doing so, we take measures to protect your privacy. This includes unlinking your conversations from your Google Account before they are seen or annotated by reviewers.

Please refrain from entering confidential information or any data that you would not want reviewers to see or Google to use for improving our products, services, and machine-learning technologies.”

 

Google Learn About And SEO

At present, there is no indication as to whether Learn About will eventually be integrated into Google Search. However, since it is part of Google’s Learning Initiative, it is possible that the tool will remain focused on learning-related functions.

For now, users can explore Learn About as part of Google Labs’ experimental projects, offering a glimpse into the future of AI-driven learning and search exploration.