You can Google the world around you by video now for free - with Search Live

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Search Live officially launches in the US.
• You can share your video feed and talk to Search.
• The experience is free and doesn't require a Labs opt-in.

Oftentimes, there isn't a better way to describe something than through the subject itself. Now, with Google Search, when words don't cut it, you can search with live video, talking to Google in real time.

Live Search

On Wednesday, Google finally launched its Live Search feature, first unveiled at Google I/O in May.

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The feature is straightforward in the same way you would use Google Lens to point to something and take a photo. Now there's a new option in which you can select the Search Live feature and activate a live video experience where you show it the world around you and ask questions using your voice.

Similar to Gemini Live

If the feature sounds familiar, it's because it works similarly to Gemini Live. However, the major difference is that within the Search Live experience, you are fed Google Search links in real time on your screen as you speak to it, in addition to getting a voice response, while still staying true to the Search experience. Gemini Live works more like a conversational AI assistant, providing you with conversational responses in real time instead of feeding links.

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With Search Live, there is also the added convenience of accessing the feature right within Google. It targets users who are seeking a web search experience and provides them with a helpful AI tool, as opposed to people who are explicitly seeking AI features and seeking Gemini. There are many everyday cases for Search Live, and I was able to experience a demo in person that simulated many of these situations.

Examples

For example, in one of the demos, the demoer used Search Live to figure out which snack was the best to have out of a broad selection that met their criteria for the activity they were about to do and their food goals. Search Live was able to verbally tell them and populate links. 

Also: Gemini arrives in Chrome - here's everything it can do now

Another example was a broken fan, and the user wanted to get notes on how to fix it. Not only was Search Live able to give verbal suggestions, but it also fed links with useful resources.