Google is rolling out ‘Web Guide,’ a new AI-powered experiment in Search Labs. The feature uses artificial intelligence to restructure how search results are displayed. It organizes the search results page by grouping content into relevant sections based on the user’s query.

Google explains that Web Guide groups web pages into different categories based on specific angles or subtopics of the search, instead of returning one long list of links. The feature is also designed to surface pages that users might not have discovered before.

How Web Guide works: AI, Gemini, and fan-out searches

According to Google, Web Guide is built on a custom version of Gemini, Google’s proprietary AI model. Gemini analyzes both the search query and the content available across the web. It then breaks down the query and uses a fan-out search method, meaning it sends out multiple related searches at once. That allows it to gather a broader set of results and identify which pages are most helpful for each specific part of the query.

This approach is similar to how Google’s AI Mode works. AI Mode already uses parallel searches to provide summaries or curated results. But in this case, Web Guide organizes the search results page into themed sections.

In Google’s example, if a user searches something broad like “how to solo travel in Japan,” Web Guide could break the results into sections such as budgeting tips, safety advice, transportation, cultural etiquette, and packing lists. Each section includes links to web pages focused specifically on that aspect of the query.

For a more complex query like “My family is spread across multiple time zones. What are the best tools for staying connected and maintaining close relationships despite the distance?” Web Guide may organize the results into key themes. Google recommends trying open-ended or multi-sentence queries for the best results.

Available to opted-in users through the Web tab

Web Guide is available only to users who have opted into Search Labs. Once enabled, users can access it from the Web tab and toggle back to the standard results at any time. Over time, Google says it plans to roll out the feature to more parts of Search, including the main “All” tab.

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