Google Search Generative Experience Results Not Really Personalized

Google’s all-new search engine, the Search Generative Experience, which began to roll out for some, is really not more personalized than what you get from Google’s traditional search results. Google is currently not offering a more personalized search result set or AI generative answer based on who you are.

Of course, when it comes to localizations and previous query, just like with traditional search, you have elements of personalization there. But outside of that, Google’s Search Generative Experience is not really personalized.

Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison was asked about this on Twitter and he said “Don’t believe they are [personalized].” He added that the search results “can change based on the context of what was previously entered in a conversation, of course.”

Danny added he “will update more if I hear differently.”

Here is the question:

Hey @searchliaison @dannysullivan @JohnMu:

Are you able to share if SGE results are personalized at all?

Seeing some murmurs that people think their results might be slightly personalized based on previous search history…

— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) June 1, 2023

Here is his response:

To add a bit more, we do use things like previous queries to sometimes personalize results:https://t.co/dEqhStl7Nc

So if you did an SGE query, then a follow-up, using the context of the previous query might produced a personalized result (as would be expected).

But your…

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) June 1, 2023

I guess the confusion on this topic comes from the rumors pre-SGE launch of Project Magi, a more personalized Google Search.

I will ask Cathy Edwards, the Gooogle executive who presented the all new SGE at Google I/O, about this question at (which is free, so register).

Forum discussion at Twitter.