NEWS

Voice Search Is Not The Future via @sejournal, @martinibuster

Published

3 years ago

November 12, 2021

Since 2016 and especially in 2018 Google has encouraged publishers to engage with voice search with structured data. Google adopted the speakable structured data and brought Guided Recipes to search console. Google built and on-ramp to voice search highway but it didn’t seem to lead anywhere. In a recent Search off the Record podcast we now know why: Voice search is not the future of SEO.

Google Voice Search

Google launched Google Assistant in 2016, enabling a new voice-based search experience that promised a new channel for distributing content.

In 2018 Google adopted the Speakable schema structured data in a Beta program that initially was for news publishers.

That announcement painted a picture of users asking for news and Google speaking it to them plus giving them links to the users mobile device.

“When people ask the Google Assistant — “Hey Google, what’s the latest news on NASA?”, the Google Assistant responds with an excerpt from a news article and the name of the news organization. Then the Google Assistant asks if the user would like to hear another news article and also sends the relevant links to the user’s mobile device.”

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By 2021 Google published an additional developer page regarding the Speakable beta program.

Publishers were encouraged to add the Speakable structured data markup to their pages to help search engines and other devices identify what parts of the content can be spoken.

Again, the Speakable structured data was pitched to publishers as a new channel for reaching a wider audience.

“The speakable schema.org property identifies sections within an article or webpage that are best suited for audio playback using text-to-speech (TTS). Adding markup allows search engines and other applications to identify content to read aloud on Google Assistant-enabled devices using TTS.

Web pages with speakable structured data can use the Google Assistant to distribute the content through new channels and reach a wider base of users.”

It’s that last part about reaching a wide base of users that made many in the search community excited about the future of voice search.

The general understanding was that the industry was on the cusp of a new way to reach new site visitors but it never materialized.

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Google Says Voice Search Not the Future

In a recent Search Off the Record podcast, Googler’s John Mueller and Martin Splitt discussed the future of search and the discussion eventually drifted to voice search.

John Mueller asked if in the future the search industry would have to optimize for voice search.

Martin Splitt didn’t waste any time turning the lights off of the voice search is the future party.

There was nothing unequivocal about his response.

John Mueller asked:

“What about voice search? Will SEOs have to optimize for voice search?”

Martin Splitt answered:

“Oh God, the future that never will be. I think no, because if we learn anything…”

Martin next compared voice search to keyboard-less computing future popularized by the television show Star Trek where the characters spoke directly to the computer to interface with it.

Ironically, the Star Trek “speak to your computer” paradigm was exactly what Google Assistant was modeled after.

In 2013 Slate published an article where a Googler stated that the future of Search was voice.

The Slate interviewer asked:

“Is there a roadmap for how search will look a few years from now?”

The Googler in the 2013 interview responded:

“Our vision is the Star Trek computer,” she shot back with a smile. “You can talk to it—it understands you, and it can have a conversation with you.”

Martin Splitt continued:

“I remember a bunch of years ago, people were like: “Oh, we’ll stop using keyboards and just do voice.”

And I think that has been a recurring theme from the 90s.”

Martin’s explanation of why voice search will not be the future may reflect a mature understanding of the technology now that we are several years into it.

He referenced the “input modality” of voice search having changed, which means how search is experienced has changed but that the back end of search that processes the voice commands has not changed, which presumably means that SEO specific for voice does not have to exist.

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Related: Google On The Future Of SEO

Martin explained:

“But I think in the future, it won’t change and will naturally or magically become the number one thing that we need to worry about.

Simply because it changes the input modality, and it changes probably how queries are phrased, but it doesn’t change the fundamental use of natural language to retrieve information from the Internet.

So I think you don’t have to worry too much about it, to be honest, but that’s maybe just me.

Maybe the future will be completely different and we’ll… I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

Martin Splitt Expressed His Informed Opinion

Martin hedged at the end of his response to note that he didn’t necessarily know what the future of voice search was, implying that this was his opinion.

But if you’re going to listen to anyone’s opinion, the opinion of a Googler like Martin Splitt carries a lot of weight and should be taken fairly seriously.

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Is Voice Search Not the Future?

Martin Splitt seems to imply that in his opinion a totally keyboard-less future, the one aimed for in 2013, probably won’t be happening because, to paraphrase, the back end of search, which has evolved considerably since 2013, is the same regardless of the “input modality.”

Citation

Listen to the Search Off the Record Podcast at the 41:21 minute mark:

[embedded content]

Searchenginejournal.com

NEWS

OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models

Published

4 weeks ago

August 21, 2024

Max

OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models

OpenAI has today announced the release of fine-tuning capabilities for its flagship GPT-4 large language model, marking a significant milestone in the AI landscape. This new functionality empowers developers to create tailored versions of GPT-4 to suit specialized use cases, enhancing the model’s utility across various industries.

Fine-tuning has long been a desired feature for developers who require more control over AI behavior, and with this update, OpenAI delivers on that demand. The ability to fine-tune GPT-4 allows businesses and developers to refine the model’s responses to better align with specific requirements, whether for customer service, content generation, technical support, or other unique applications.

Why Fine-Tuning Matters

GPT-4 is a very flexible model that can handle many different tasks. However, some businesses and developers need more specialized AI that matches their specific language, style, and needs. Fine-tuning helps with this by letting them adjust GPT-4 using custom data. For example, companies can train a fine-tuned model to keep a consistent brand tone or focus on industry-specific language.

Fine-tuning also offers improvements in areas like response accuracy and context comprehension. For use cases where nuanced understanding or specialized knowledge is crucial, this can be a game-changer. Models can be taught to better grasp intricate details, improving their effectiveness in sectors such as legal analysis, medical advice, or technical writing.

Key Features of GPT-4 Fine-Tuning

The fine-tuning process leverages OpenAI’s established tools, but now it is optimized for GPT-4’s advanced architecture. Notable features include:

Enhanced Customization: Developers can precisely influence the model’s behavior and knowledge base.
Consistency in Output: Fine-tuned models can be made to maintain consistent formatting, tone, or responses, essential for professional applications.
Higher Efficiency: Compared to training models from scratch, fine-tuning GPT-4 allows organizations to deploy sophisticated AI with reduced time and computational cost.

Additionally, OpenAI has emphasized ease of use with this feature. The fine-tuning workflow is designed to be accessible even to teams with limited AI experience, reducing barriers to customization. For more advanced users, OpenAI provides granular control options to achieve highly specialized outputs.

Implications for the Future

The launch of fine-tuning capabilities for GPT-4 signals a broader shift toward more user-centric AI development. As businesses increasingly adopt AI, the demand for models that can cater to specific business needs, without compromising on performance, will continue to grow. OpenAI’s move positions GPT-4 as a flexible and adaptable tool that can be refined to deliver optimal value in any given scenario.

By offering fine-tuning, OpenAI not only enhances GPT-4’s appeal but also reinforces the model’s role as a leading AI solution across diverse sectors. From startups seeking to automate niche tasks to large enterprises looking to scale intelligent systems, GPT-4’s fine-tuning capability provides a powerful resource for driving innovation.

OpenAI announced that fine-tuning GPT-4o will cost $25 for every million tokens used during training. After the model is set up, it will cost $3.75 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. To help developers get started, OpenAI is offering 1 million free training tokens per day for GPT-4o and 2 million free tokens per day for GPT-4o mini until September 23. This makes it easier for developers to try out the fine-tuning service.

As AI continues to evolve, OpenAI’s focus on customization and adaptability with GPT-4 represents a critical step in making advanced AI accessible, scalable, and more aligned with real-world applications. This new capability is expected to accelerate the adoption of AI across industries, creating a new wave of AI-driven solutions tailored to specific challenges and opportunities.

GOOGLE

This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update

Published

3 months ago

June 30, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update

Here’s what happened in the world of Google and search engines this week:

1. Google’s June 2024 Spam Update

Google finished rolling out its June 2024 spam update over a period of seven days. This update aims to reduce spammy content in search results.

2. Changes to Google Search Interface

Google has removed the continuous scroll feature for search results. Instead, it’s back to the old system of pages.

3. New Features and Tests

Link Cards: Google is testing link cards at the top of AI-generated overviews.
Health Overviews: There are more AI-generated health overviews showing up in search results.
Local Panels: Google is testing AI overviews in local information panels.

4. Search Rankings and Quality

Improving Rankings: Google said it can improve its search ranking system but will only do so on a large scale.
Measuring Quality: Google’s Elizabeth Tucker shared how they measure search quality.

5. Advice for Content Creators

Brand Names in Reviews: Google advises not to avoid mentioning brand names in review content.
Fixing 404 Pages: Google explained when it’s important to fix 404 error pages.

6. New Search Features in Google Chrome

Google Chrome for mobile devices has added several new search features to enhance user experience.

7. New Tests and Features in Google Search

Credit Card Widget: Google is testing a new widget for credit card information in search results.
Sliding Search Results: When making a new search query, the results might slide to the right.

8. Bing’s New Feature

Bing is now using AI to write “People Also Ask” questions in search results.

9. Local Search Ranking Factors

Menu items and popular times might be factors that influence local search rankings on Google.

10. Google Ads Updates

Query Matching and Brand Controls: Google Ads updated its query matching and brand controls, and advertisers are happy with these changes.
Lead Credits: Google will automate lead credits for Local Service Ads. Google says this is a good change, but some advertisers are worried.
tROAS Insights Box: Google Ads is testing a new insights box for tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend) in Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns.
WordPress Tag Code: There is a new conversion code for Google Ads on WordPress sites.

These updates highlight how Google and other search engines are continuously evolving to improve user experience and provide better advertising tools.

FACEBOOK

Facebook Faces Yet Another Outage: Platform Encounters Technical Issues Again

Published

6 months ago

March 20, 2024

Max

Uppdated: It seems that today’s issues with Facebook haven’t affected as many users as the last time. A smaller group of people appears to be impacted this time around, which is a relief compared to the larger incident before. Nevertheless, it’s still frustrating for those affected, and hopefully, the issues will be resolved soon by the Facebook team.

Facebook had another problem today (March 20, 2024). According to Downdetector, a website that shows when other websites are not working, many people had trouble using Facebook.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has had issues. Just a little while ago, there was another problem that stopped people from using the site. Today, when people tried to use Facebook, it didn’t work like it should. People couldn’t see their friends’ posts, and sometimes the website wouldn’t even load.

Downdetector, which watches out for problems on websites, showed that lots of people were having trouble with Facebook. People from all over the world said they couldn’t use the site, and they were not happy about it.

When websites like Facebook have problems, it affects a lot of people. It’s not just about not being able to see posts or chat with friends. It can also impact businesses that use Facebook to reach customers.

Since Facebook owns Messenger and Instagram, the problems with Facebook also meant that people had trouble using these apps. It made the situation even more frustrating for many users, who rely on these apps to stay connected with others.

During this recent problem, one thing is obvious: the internet is always changing, and even big websites like Facebook can have problems. While people wait for Facebook to fix the issue, it shows us how easily things online can go wrong. It’s a good reminder that we should have backup plans for staying connected online, just in case something like this happens again.