What’s next for image and voice search?

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Search Engine Watch is trying to see where we are now in the field of online image and voice search and what are the trends. Here are the most important points from the article.

Forward-thinking businesses are already using this new form of machine learning AI image recognition to allow users to search for products using pictures to find the same or similar looks and outfits they stock. However, does this mean intelligent image search is the next big thing?

Google (as well as others) has recently started integrating features to enable users to shop for products captured with a smartphone. While image search will have its practical uses, the current siloed implementations in smart devices are likely to have a very limited impact on general search behavior for now.

While basic applications of image search can be used to identify what products are available, the technology will continue to evolve, becoming faster and more accurate, leading to more sophisticated, varied applications and use cases. Despite the advances in image search and its current implementation, voice is likely to remain the preferred way to request information on demand in the future. We are likely to see image-based search complement voice, allowing for a richer way of interacting with AI assistants.

Comparing voice search to image search is like comparing a computer keyboard to a mouse. They each have their own place in a world where search and discovery will be predominantly underpinned through interactions with virtual assistants.

However, Google’s success to date as a traditional search engine has come from the ability to retrieve the most relevant and concise results with both speed and precision. Its core strength in organizing information and their recent shift to being an AI first business will pose a serious challenge to Amazon’s early lead.

Read the article at Search Engine Watch