Google is opening up access to SGE in Search Labs for teens (13-17) in the U.S. This comes alongside a commitment to enhance quality and safety with important updates and tools.
Unlocking Generative AI for Teens
Starting this week, teens aged 13-17 with a Google Account can sign up for Search Labs through the Google app or Chrome desktop. This includes access to SGE, a tool that helps people find information faster and explore topics naturally, both in search and while browsing web pages.
Generative AI allows teens to ask questions beyond what regular search engines offer, encouraging deeper exploration. Google is dedicated to balancing opportunities with safety and developmental needs for teens.
Enhanced Safety Measures
Based on research and input from teen development experts, Google has strengthened safeguards in SGE to prevent inappropriate content. This includes measures against illegal substances, age-restricted content, and bullying.
Feedback collection and system improvements will be ongoing, with input from experts, to ensure teen safety. Teens and parents can refer to Google’s AI Literacy Guide for guidance on responsible use.
Providing Context
In Search, Google offers information literacy tools to help people assess information reliability. Now, these tools are integrated into SGE. Google introduces “About this result” in SGE, providing context on how SGE generated responses.
This feature will soon extend to individual links in SGE responses. SGE highlights web content for exploration and encourages checking additional sources.
Targeted Improvements
Google aims to improve the quality of SGE responses, especially when queries contain false or offensive premises. Updates will train the AI model to detect and respond better to such queries.
Google is also working on using large language models to critique and rewrite sensitive topic responses, adhering to quality and safety principles.
While significant progress has been made in enhancing SGE’s protections, Google acknowledges the technology’s limitations and commits to continued improvement.
Availability
Starting this week, access to SGE in Search Labs features is now available to teens aged 13-17 with Google Accounts in the United States.
Announcing the updates, Hema Budaraju, Senior Director, Product Management, Search, Google, said:
In essence, the caliber of this experiment is consistently enhancing. We are diligently working on comprehensive enhancements, including refining our responses to better highlight diverse perspectives and information.
These refinements are aimed at making the experience more beneficial, enlightening, and of superior quality for the myriad of queries we receive daily – even the ones that are completely new to us!
As the number of participants in this experiment grows, we eagerly anticipate how their feedback will aid us in further improvement.