SGE is launching! Or is it?

This episode is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Contrarian Marketing podcast, hosts Kevin and Eli debate whether Google's new search experience powered by generative AI (SGE) will actually launch publicly soon or remain stuck in beta.

They discuss the motivation behind SGE, predictions for how it could launch, and whether AI hype in search will fade.

"I think the whole point of s g is they need to get Wall Street and the media off their backs."

"Putting it behind a paid wall is exactly like saying, guess what? We also have an LLM, but you have to go to, like, gemini.google.com to check it out."

Main Discussion Points

- SGE is already live in small ways, like product recommendations in Google Shopping

- Google needs to launch SGE, even in a limited capacity, to show they are innovating in AI

- SGE may be useful for certain verticals and listicle-style queries

- But LLMs can frustrate users by removing choice from search

- Google search has declined in quality and become too commercialized

- Voice search assistants still have lots of room for improvement with AI

- Both hosts believe Google search needs to improve, but disagree on whether SGE specifically will help

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