Search engine giant Google recently revealed that they are working on a new innovation under the code name “Magi.” The aim is purportedly to remain competitive in the search engine market that is increasingly revolving around AI-backed search engines like Microsoft’s Bing. At present, Google accounts for just under 94% of the international search engine market share and is keen to remain the number one choice for consumers.
Bing, however, may be hot on their heels. Since integrating ChatGPT and GPT-4, Microsoft’s flagship search engine has seen an increase in use, topping 100 million daily active users. The integration of AI into their services has paid dividends, and it’s no surprise that Google is also trying to capitalise on this move towards automation. But what does this mean for the future of web design and marketing? In this blog, we’ll try to explain what Project Magi and other AI search engines mean for web designers, marketers and business owners.
What caused Project Magi?
The simple answer here, as is often the case with business innovation, is competition. According to an article in the New York Times, Google employees were surprised to learn that South Korean consumer electronics company Samsung was considering replacing Google with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine on their devices. The article goes on to explain that Google’s reaction to Samsung’s potential erring to the AI-based search engine was one of panic, with an estimated $3 billion in annual revenue at stake.
With tech giants like Samsung prepared to consider shifting away from Google who, as we discussed above, have occupied the top spot among search engines for some time, the need for Google’s own search engine to implement AI has become a stark reality.
Image Credit: Fusion Chat
What is Project Magi
Google’s Project Magi is expected to pave the way for an entirely new feature set, oriented by executives, designers and engineers. Those involved in the creation of Project Magi are working in “sprint mode” to try to catch up with and potentially overtake Microsoft’s existing ChatGPT technology to provide users with a more personalised and bespoke experience.
The exact nature of the tools available on Project Magi is, as yet, obscure. Google is apparently aiming to reimagine the search experience, but the plans are still very much in their infancy. The general principle, though, seems to be to adapt to users’ preferences by learning from the search queries. It’s designed to present preselected options for buying products, carrying out research or engaging services and information sources. With a more conversational approach, this AI-based search engine forms part of Google’s more general drive into automation and machine learning, coming alongside their Google Earth Mapping technology and GIFI image generator.
In terms of a release date for Project Magi, nothing is yet set in stone. It will likely experience a gradual roll-out, with the aim of 30 million users having access by the end of 2023.
What does this mean for you?
Like all AI search engine innovations, Project Magi is likely to have a significant impact across sectors. Let’s break down a few of them, and explore their relevance to your industry.
SEO Implications
The impact of Project Magi on SEO is likely to be significant. Traditional SEO methods like keyword optimisation and link building may reduce in effectiveness, as businesses will instead need to focus on creating high-quality content focused on user intent.
For the last few years, Google has been gradually shifting towards this model in its existing search engine, and Magi represents the latest step for AI-based search engines to increase the importance of user experience.
This means that SEO optimisers and copywriters will need to work more closely with customer research teams to really get to know their target audience. This will, in turn, allow them to craft fully user-focused content able to attract and retain consumers to their products or services.
Marketing Impact
It’s unlikely that Project Magi will entirely remove ads, as Google are still a publicly traded business, and ads are a profitable way of generating revenue. However, according to Neil Patel, it is probable that Google will move away from a cost-per-click for ads, and onto a cost-per-acquisition model, in the long run. Neil hypothesises that this will actually make marketers’ lives more straightforward and will enable them to provide a better user experience.
Keep your content optimised with One2create
As AI begins to play a greater role across search engines, businesses must stay abreast of the developments. At One2create, we’ve got an experienced and dedicated team of SEO experts, copywriters and marketing whizzes who can make sure that your business or organisation is maximising its online impact.
Whether it’s through digital marketing, web design or creative inputs like print design or branding, we can keep your company competitive and ahead of the curve. Follow the links to find out more about our business services and ethos, or get in touch with any more detailed queries.
