Nick Fox on AI strategy
From Google's Nick Fox on the Future of Search and AI · · Semafor and Think with Google
“We're not going to give up on our foundation that's so important to us. We need to invest to make sure that we can provide the trusted experience, the quality, all of that that people have come to expect from Google, plus the newer conversational experience. So it didn't have to be a trade-off, we could provide both.”
On , Nick Fox, SVP of Knowledge and Information at Alphabet, spoke about AI strategy during Google's Nick Fox on the Future of Search and AI on Semafor and Think with Google.
About Nick Fox
Nick Fox, Google's SVP of Knowledge and Information, appeared at Google Marketing Live on May 20, 2026, where he discussed the integration of AI into Google's search products. Fox stated that the company "confidently leaned into" the AI shift, describing it as "the fuel of future growth" and "obviously beneficial" for search. He outlined Google's approach of blending AI responses into the existing search experience rather than making AI mode the default, explaining that "if an AI response is helpful, we'll show an AI overview" and users can then expand into a conversational AI mode. Fox emphasized that trust is "the foundation of everything we do" and that Google is applying its existing principles for ads—such as clear labeling, separation from organic results, and relevance—to AI mode. Fox also addressed the evolution of search queries, stating that the vision is for users to "ask anything" with longer, more detailed queries rather than short keywords. He discussed the impact of AI on jobs, saying that while roles will change, "the jobs will continue," and that marketers will be "turbocharged with tools" that make them "more effective, more efficient, more productive." Fox noted that Google is bringing Gemini to its ad stack to help marketers target the "breadth and specificity" of user queries.