Mr Jonathan Jones

Mr Jonathan Jones

SEO & Digital Consultant

Brainstorm AI 2024: Insights from Google’s Elizabeth Reid on the Future of Search

On 11 December 2024, during Fortune’s Brainstorm AI 2024, Google’s Vice President of Search, Elizabeth Reid, sat down with Fortune’s Senior Editor, Jeremy Kahn, to discuss the future of search, the role of AI, and the challenges Google faces in maintaining its position as the world’s go-to search engine. Here are the key takeaways from their engaging conversation.

Younger Users Are Exploring New Search Options

One of the first questions addressed a trend causing ripples across the industry: younger users turning to AI chatbots and other AI-enabled tools like Perplexity instead of Google Search. When asked about Google’s response to this shift, Reid was clear:

“There’s always been different options with search, and we welcome that. What we’re focused on is the user—helping them find information.”

Reid emphasised Google’s mission to make search more intuitive and capable of addressing even the questions people hesitate to ask:

“There are billions of questions people don’t ask because it’s too hard or they’re not confident they can get the answer. We think there’s a huge opportunity ahead to make it so you can really ask anything you’re curious about.”


Combating the “AI Slop” Problem

With the rise of generative AI, concerns have grown about the quality of information available online. Reid acknowledged this challenge, stating:

“Ensuring we surface high-quality information is paramount and a huge reason people trust search.”

She made it clear that AI isn’t inherently harmful:

“AI-generated content isn’t intrinsically bad. It can help create amazing information. But scaled content abuse is a challenge we take seriously.”

Google’s ongoing investment in fighting spam and poor-quality content remains a priority:

“We’ve worked for years to keep spam levels in search very low, and we’ll stay focused because it’s absolutely paramount.”

At the Google Search Central Conference in Zurich, the conversation around AI-generated content was a recurring theme, with Google making its stance clear: AI can be powerful, but irresponsible use—what some are calling “AI slop”—is a slippery slope.

During the Q&A, Martin Splitt addressed this directly when asked if we’re moving towards AI-first content production:

“Hopefully not. AI can assist in content creation, but replacing human-authored content entirely often backfires. Nothing can replace human-to-human interaction and creating content for humans.”

He didn’t hold back on the risks of using AI to churn out content at scale:

“If you’re generating hundreds or thousands of pages just because you can, without considering if they provide real value, that’s a slippery slope. Users aren’t fooled by that kind of content, and neither are we.”

This aligns with Elizabeth Reid’s comments on tackling scaled content abuse:

“AI-generated content isn’t intrinsically bad. It can help create amazing information. But scaled content abuse is a challenge we take seriously.”

The message was clear: AI should assist workflows, not replace the human touch. Content that lacks real value or fails to connect with readers will not only backfire but also risk breaching Google’s spam and quality policies.

I’ve shared more insights on how AI was discussed in Zurich, including Google’s broader stance on content quality, site reputation, and putting users first.

The takeaway for publishers? Use AI as a tool—not a shortcut. Quality, trust, and human insight remain the backbone of successful content strategies.


Balancing AI Overviews and Publisher Concerns

A major concern among publishers is whether Google’s AI overviews will reduce traffic to their sites. Reid sought to address this misconception:

“There’s a misconception that people either want answers or links. That’s not what we find.”

Instead, AI overviews are designed to guide users to deeper, authentic content:

“People love AI overviews because they help them get started while connecting to the web. Younger users especially want to hear from authentic voices and people they trust. Connecting to the web remains at the heart of search, even with AI.”

She went a step further, claiming that clicks from AI Overviews are higher quality, with users spending more time on sites because they’re getting what they need:

“We see people click within AI overviews and across the rest of the page. Clicks from AI overviews tend to be higher quality. People spend more time on the sites because they’re getting the information they want.”

But here’s the real question: If AI Overviews are supplying good traffic and higher-quality clicks, why isn’t Google being more transparent about this?

The lack of visibility is glaring. Publishers still have no way to discern traffic sources from AI Overviews in Google Analytics or Search Console. This very issue came up in Zurich, where Daniel Waisberg addressed it—but his response wasn’t exactly reassuring.

Google Search Console won’t be showing AI-specific traffic any time soon—if ever. As Waisberg put it, 2025 is likely off the table.

For an initiative designed to connect users to the web, the absence of transparent data feels counter intuitive. Publishers deserve the tools to understand their traffic sources and measure performance accurately. Until then, Google’s assurances—while promising—remain just that: promises.


Personalisation and Domain-Specific Search

When an audience member asked about the potential for domain-specific search, Reid highlighted Google’s ongoing exploration of tailored experiences:

“Search today already has modes like images, shopping, and local. AI offers opportunities for personalisation, like understanding if you prefer video results, if you’re an expert, or if you’re learning something new for your five-year-old.”

She also pointed to the opportunity for AI to redefine the way users interact with information:

“Besides domain-specific improvements, AI lets us rethink how we deliver information in a way that’s effortless and useful.”


The Splintering of Search and Gemini

An audience member raised an important question about whether Google’s Gemini product and traditional search might blur together. Reid’s response was pragmatic:

“We’re early in the journey, so we don’t honestly know what the future holds. What matters is making it easy for the user—whether they use search, Gemini, or both.”

Reid explained that search is evolving beyond the traditional keyword box:

“The keyword box is just one part of search now. We’ve introduced voice and Lens, and the space is moving toward multimodal inputs.”


Looking Ahead: Multimodality and Accessibility

When asked about the future of search, Reid promised exciting developments:

“You’ll definitely see more multimodality. The question you have in your mind should be the one you get to ask—without breaking it down or worrying about your learning style or language.”

She emphasised that search will continue to evolve to make information more accessible:

“Search should feel effortless. The tech really has to come to you instead of you translating your needs to it.”


Final Thoughts

Elizabeth Reid’s insights at Brainstorm AI 2024 paint a picture of a company doubling down on its mission to organise the world’s information while adapting to the challenges of an AI-driven future. From addressing quality concerns to meeting user needs with multimodal tools, Google’s strategy remains rooted in helping users access reliable, relevant, and useful information.

The takeaway? While competitors experiment with AI-first tools, Google’s focus on trust, authenticity, and accessibility continues to define its vision for the future of search—because let’s face it, no one wants their life’s questions answered by a chatbot with the depth of a puddle. And when Google promises to make search “effortless,” you can be sure they’ll do it without you needing a PhD in keyword sorcery to get there.

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Mike Harris

Great read. Read the Zurich article and this is great info to have at hand.

Clarifies the position really on AI generated content. Basically that is a big no-no.

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