Meta AI Now Incorporates Google and Bing Search Results

Meta AI is an artificial intelligence assistant that now includes search results from both Google and Microsoft. It was launched with Microsoft Bing integrated in September. How it works: Users can enter searches in the search bar in the Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger apps. When Meta AI includes search results, they will appear as a tappable link labeled 'Sources' beneath the answer. Tapping on this link will direct users to the web while keeping them within the Meta app. Meta AI is also available in the main Facebook feed and can now be accessed on computers through the meta.ai website.

Meta AI integrated Google Search results because the AI models, like Meta's Llama 3, don't have access to real-time data. Incorporating information from search engines makes sense for Meta to provide more accurate and up-to-date answers. This is in line with Gartner's prediction that search traffic will fall due to AI chatbots, virtual agents, and AI answer engines providing direct answers, reducing the need for users to click on a website to find information.

Meta AI became available on computers with the launch of the meta.ai website, as announced by Meta. This marks the first time that Meta AI can be accessed outside of the Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger apps.

The benefits for Google in the Meta AI and Google Search integration include increased visibility and distribution without the cost. According to Mark Zuckerberg, this integration is advantageous for Google as it prominently displays and links to Google Search results. Unlike the payments Google makes to Apple for distribution, there is not a 'ton of money' flowing to Meta for this feature. This could be seen as a cost-effective way for Google to reach more users.