· Pichai said smaller AI models will become more useful over time, allowing companies to design their own or users to run algorithms on their own personal devices. "You'll have all kinds of options." "The technology will be more accessible than people expect," he said. 

"The opportunity space, if anything, is bigger than before." Google CEO Sundar Pichai said. Google Inc plans to add conversational artificial intelligence capabilities to its flagship search engine as it battles pressure from chatbots like ChatGPT and broader business issues, Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said. 

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Pichai said advances in artificial intelligence will enhance Google's ability to answer a range of search queries. He dismissed the idea that chatbots pose a threat to Google's search business, which accounts for more than half of parent company Alphabet's revenue. "The opportunity space, if anything, is bigger than before." "Said Pichai, who also heads Alphabet.

Google has long been a leader in developing large language model (LLM) computer programs, but it has not yet used the technology to influence the way people search, and Pichai said that would change. He revealed that Google is testing several new search products, such as versions that allow users to ask follow-up questions about their original queries. The company said last month that it would begin "thoughtfully integrating LLMS into search in a deeper way," but until now had no detailed plans to offer a conversation feature. 

Google has begun testing new AI features in Gmail and other work-related products. Pichai said Google would continue to improve the chatbot Bud with a new AI model, while declining to comment on when the product would be made free without being added to a waiting list. 

With Microsoft already deploying the technology behind ChatGPT in its Bing search engine, Mr. Pichai is tackling one of the biggest threats to Google's core business in years, while also facing pressure from investors to cut costs. In January, Alphabet said it would cut about 12,000 jobs, or 6 percent of its workforce, in its largest layoff to date.

Despite the cost cuts, Google is pushing ahead with its AI efforts, accelerating work on new products after the breakout success of ChatGPT.

Ai competition in search is particularly important to Pichai. Search advertising remains Google's biggest moneymaker, bringing in $162 billion last year. However, Google has generally been wary of moving technology too fast, wary of fundamentally changing the way users interact with its search engine. Researchers have raised concerns about the accuracy of AI chatbots.

When asked why the company didn't release the chatbot earlier, Pichai said Google was still trying to find the right market. "We're iterating to deliver something, and given the state of the industry, the timeline could change," he said.

Ai technology requires huge amounts of computing power, and Pichai said Google would need to adjust its use of resources while also managing costs. For example, he said the company's two main AI divisions, Google Brain and DeepMind, which have long operated independently, will now work more closely together in a joint effort to build large algorithms.