Redesigned Google News Uses AI to Connect Related Stories Together by @MattGSouthern
Google has introduced a redesigned version of Google News which uses artificial intelligence to string together related pieces of content.
A brand new mobile app will also be available on iOS and Android by next week. The app will replace Google Play Newsstand and the Google News & Weather app.
Powering both the web and mobile app versions of Google News is AI technology that will be able to analyze and group together related stories in real-time.
This is a considerable evolution from the previous version of Google News, which simply organized articles together by topic.
”The reimagined Google News uses a new set of AI techniques to take a constant flow of information as it hits the web, analyze it in real time and organize it into storylines. This approach means Google News understands the people, places and things involved in a story as it evolves, and connects how they relate to one another.”
Upon navigating to the new version of Google News users will land on the “For You” section, featuring 5 stories selected for the individual user. Google says the more the app is used, the better the recommendations will get.
Google News will also let users indicate when they want to see more of a specific publisher. Alternatively, users can opt out of seeing stories from specific publishers.
With a new focus on rich media, stories will feature text articles, images, and YouTube videos. A new format called “newscasts” will bring together a collection of articles, videos and quotes on a single topic.
Users can dig deeper into a particular story by tapping on “Full Coverage,” which will provide a complete look at how the story is being reported from a variety of sources.
Unlike the “For You” section, “Full Coverage” is not personalized, which means everyone will see the same information from the same set of sources.
Another unpersonalized news feed can be found in the “Headlines” section, which features trending news from around the world.
An all-new “Newsstand” tab will allow users to find and follow news sources they already trust, including 1,000 magazine titles in a mobile-optimized format. This is highly reminiscent of the days of Google Reader.
Newsstand is also integrated with ‘Subscribe with Google,’ which lets users sign up for paid subscriptions using their Google account. Of course, this is only required for accessing content behind a paywall.
The new Google News is available on the web starting today, with the mobile apps coming next week.
