Google may charge for AI-powered search results
In Q4 2023, Google made $48 billion in its search revenue, up by 12.7% from the previous quarter.
In what is seen as the first time that any of the company's core products would be put behind a paywall, Google is said to be considering charging users for AI-powered search results, according to a report from the Financial Times.
The plan is to have its main search engine available for free, while AI-powered search results would be available to those who pay a fee. But, either way, adverts would continue to appear alongside search results.
Although Google charges for some features including Google One, a service for additional storage, Google Workspace, its workplace collaboration tool, and Google Gemini, its AI premium service, the introduction of a fee for its search results which may include enhanced search tools could see it grow its search revenues.
In Q4 2023, Google made $48 billion in its search revenue, up by 12.7% from the previous quarter. More than a billion people use its search tool every month, according to estimates, and one can only imagine how the "premium search results" would impact its revenues in 2024.
