Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced that the company plans to incorporate an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot into its search engine. Pichai told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that the addition of conversational AI features would enable Google to respond to a wider range of search inquiries, enhancing the user experience.

The technology behind this move is Google’s large language models (LLMs), computer programs that can understand and respond to prompts almost as a human would. Pichai intends to use LLMs to improve how users search on Google’s browser.

This announcement comes as other major technology companies, including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google’s own competitor Bard, have launched their own AI chatbots. However, the rapid development of AI technology has raised concerns among some experts, including Elon Musk, who have called for a pause in the development of advanced AI systems.

Despite these concerns, Pichai remains optimistic about the potential of AI technology and its impact on society. He is not worried that chatbots will threaten Google’s search business, believing that the “opportunity space” is larger than ever before.

In addition to incorporating AI into its search engine, Google has also been experimenting with new AI features in Gmail and other products. Pichai believes that collaboration between Google’s two main AI units, Google Brain and DeepMind, will be essential to the continued development of AI technology.

While concerns over the potential impact of AI persist, Pichai’s announcement demonstrates that major technology companies continue to explore the possibilities of this rapidly evolving technology. As AI continues to transform the way we interact with technology, it will be important for policymakers to ensure that the development of these systems is guided by ethical considerations and a commitment to positive outcomes for society as a whole.