Why Google Won’t Answer This One Simple Question

Reading Ben Thompson’s coverage of Google’s earnings call this week, one thing jumps out, and simply can’t be ignored: Google CEO Sundar Pichai was asked a simple question, and, as Thompson points out, Pichai dodged it completely. A Merril analyst asked this question:

“Just wondering if you see any changes in query volumes, positive or negative, since you’ve seen the year evolve and more Search innovative experiences.”

Here’s Pichai’s answer:

“First of all, look, we think about effects on Search, obviously, more broadly. People have a lot of information choices. So — and user expectations are constantly evolving.

And so we’ve been doing this for a long time. And I think what ends up mattering is a strong continuous track record of innovation. Obviously, generative AI is a new tool in the arsenal. But there’s a lot more that goes into Search: the breadth, the depth the diversity across verticals, stability to follow through getting actually access to rich, diverse sources of content on the web, and putting it all together in a compelling way.

And I think, through the year two, when we test, we test Search Generative Experience, particularly against everything that’s out there. And we can see the progress we are making and how much users are liking the…