Among the many AI products shown off at Google I/O 2023, the changes to Google Search promise to be the most exciting for our everyday lives. While these changes aren’t live, you can test them in Google Search Labs.
As you might guess from the name, Search Labs is a way to experiment and test upcoming products. These aren’t all AI-related. There are experiments here that can speed up your workflow, whether you’re on your phone or one of the top budget Chromebooks.
What is Google Search Labs?
Google Search Labs is a new division of Google Labs that focuses on experiments related to Google Search. Not all these experiments will be fully released, and many won’t provide a consistent experience.
New products will arrive in Search Labs over time, while products ready for the next stage (or don’t pan out) will disappear. The only way to try every Search Lab experiment is to sign up as soon as possible.
How to sign up for Google Search Labs
To sign up for Search Labs, you’ll need the Chrome browser for desktop or mobile, a personal Google account (Workspace accounts aren’t valid), and be 18 years or older. You’ll also need to be in a region with Search Labs availability.
At the time of writing, Search Labs is only available within the U.S. However, there are plans to bring this feature to other countries at an undisclosed time.
Once you’ve met the requirements, here’s how to sign up for Search Labs:
- Open the Google Chrome app.
- Tap New Tab in the upper-right corner of your screen.
- Tap the Labs icon.
- Tap Join waitlist.
You’ll be notified by email when you receive access to Search Labs. You’ll also receive a push notification when you sign up on mobile. If you change your mind, you can leave the waitlist by following the same steps you used to sign up; a Leave waitlist button will have replaced the Join waitlist button.
What can I do with Google Search Labs?
When you gain access to Search Labs, you can test the experiments on the Google account you signed up with. You can experiment on a desktop or mobile device, regardless of how you signed up. Enable or disable each feature by tapping the Labs button at the top of your screen in the Chrome browser or Google app.
Head to the Google Search Labs website to see the current range of experiments. This will be updated with all the experiments that are available to test.
Google Search Labs is a way to stay ahead of the development curve
Signing up for Google Search Labs will get you access to new features before most people have heard of them. Just remember that not every feature in Search Labs will make it to full release.
Software tools weren’t the only thing announced at Google I/O 2023. We went hands-on with the most exciting Google device in years, the Google Pixel Fold.
