Google’s plans for a new search experience pointed toward something broader than a list of links. Project Magi was described as an update to Search that could support chatbot-style dialogue, while a longer-term vision would make search more personal, visual and useful for questions without a single right answer.
The reported plans came as Google faced competition from AI chatbots and apps where people already look for recommendations and advice. They also raised a practical challenge: how to make answers feel helpful and trustworthy while preserving the advertising business built around search.
Project Magi would add conversation to Search
Project Magi was reported as an effort to bring new AI features into Google’s existing search engine. The update was expected to keep search ads in place while making it possible for users to have chatbot-style exchanges with Search.
One example in the reporting was help with coding questions and code-related tasks. The features were described as an addition to the existing product, rather than a replacement for the familiar search experience.
The initial rollout was expected to reach one million users in the US, with the first features planned for May and more to follow in the fall. A Google spokeswoman confirmed that new AI features were coming soon to Search, without explicitly commenting on the reported Magi plans.
A different idea of what search should feel like
The broader vision went beyond adding a conversational answer box. Google was reportedly working on a new search engine that could learn what users want, pre-select information and carry on dialogues about topics across multiple interactions.
The goal, as described in the reporting, was a search experience that felt like talking to a helpful person. That approach could matter most when a query does not have one definitive answer, such as a request for advice or recommendations.
The Wall Street Journal described the desired experience as more “visual, snackable, personal, and human.” That language suggests a shift away from relying only on the traditional “10 blue links” format and toward presenting information in forms people may find easier to explore.
Social content and trust become part of the problem
Google’s search ambitions were unfolding as people increasingly used platforms such as TikTok and Instagram for life advice and restaurant recommendations. The reporting also cited an internal Google document saying the number of active traditional websites had stagnated in recent years.
One response under consideration was to include more social media content in search results. But bringing in more kinds of material makes it important to show users where information came from and how to assess it.
The internal document said Google needed to “refine” its definition of trustworthy content. It also described attribution and literacy tools as ways to build trust. In practice, those ideas point to a search experience that helps people understand both the answer and its source.
Search competition raises the stakes
Google’s plans were reported alongside a separate concern: Samsung was considering Bing as the default search option on its smartphones. The New York Times reported that Google viewed the possibility as a moment of panic, and that the company believed Microsoft’s chatbot search was a factor. That explanation was not confirmed.
The possibility also sat within ongoing negotiations between Google and Samsung. The reporting noted that Samsung might use developments in search to seek a better deal, while the companies remained in talks and their partnership could continue.
Other Google projects mentioned in the reports included GIFI, an image generator for Google Image Search; Tivoli Tutor, a language-teaching chatbot; and Searchalong, a Chrome chatbot that could answer questions using search and webpage context. The reports did not say when, if, or in what form those products would become available.
Taken together, the plans describe a company trying to adapt search to conversational AI and changing discovery habits. The open questions are how these features would work in practice, how Google would establish trust in a wider range of results, and how a more interactive search experience would fit with its existing business.