Google Gives Search a Refresh by Amir Efrati.
Google is moving towards “semantic search:”
Google isn’t replacing its current keyword-search system, which determines the importance of a website based on the words it contains, how often other sites link to it, and dozens of other measures. Rather, the company is aiming to provide more relevant results by incorporating technology called “semantic search,” which refers to the process of understanding the actual meaning of words.
Just when I decide that it isn’t meant to be a technical article and to give it a pass on “…understanding the actual meaning of words.” I read:
One person briefed on Google’s plans said the shift to semantic search could directly impact the search results for 10% to 20% of all search queries, or tens of billions per month.
How’s that? Some 80% to 90% of Google search queries don’t involve semantics? As Ben Stein would say, “Wow.” I would have never guessed. Then I suppose slang for female body parts doesn’t require a lot of semantics for a successful search. Is that really 80% to 90% of all Google queries?
And Google has expanded a set of entities for use with its semantic search:
It also approached organizations and government agencies to obtain access to databases, including the CIA World Factbook, which houses up-to-date encyclopedic information about countries worldwide.
Just so you know, the CIA World Factbook, as a U.S. government publication, isn’t subject to copyright. You can use it without permission.
Let’s hope that Google does better than this report on its efforts would lead you to believe.