Google updates search with Knowledge Graph

Google is introducing a new update to its search engine with a feature called Knowledge Graph, which will provide more relevant and detailed results to the user’s queries. Google had actually started testing the feature last week, but now it is ready to roll it out publicly.
Google says it references public sources like Freebase, Wikipedia and the CIA World Factbook. In addition to this, Knowledge Graph contains contains more than 500 million objects, as well as more than 3.5 billion facts about and relationships between these different objects.
Through Knowledge Graph, Google can understand the context of the entities one is search is about and also all the nuances in the meaning. Google claims that it can understand the search the way the user meant it to be.
Because Knowledge Graph can understand a query, it can deliver relevant content and key facts related to the topic being searched. For example, if you’re looking for Marie Curie, you’ll see when she was born and died, but you’ll also get details on her education and scientific discoveries.
It also helps Google understand relationships between things, so taking the Marie Curie example further, Knowledge Graph can give information regarding her family including her children and her husband Pierre Curie who also had won a Nobel Prize.
Knowledge Graph also lets users to go more in-depth with their queries allowing users to stumble upon new bits of information.
Google cites the example of Matt Groening, the creator of Simpsons. Through this search one can also find out where Matt got the idea for Homer, Marge and Lisa’s names.
As Knowledge Graph already knows so much, it also has predictive capabilities. For instance if one searches for Tom Cruise, Google Search can deliver 37 percent of the most searched queries in a single go without the need for multiple search’s.
Initially, Knowledge Graph is coming to US English search but Google intends to implement it to its entire user base. Google, has also adapted the Knowledge Graph engine to its mobile apps.
On Mobile apps including Tablet versions, tapping or swiping on the content from the Knowledge Graph instantly shows me more useful information. When searching on a tablet, the user can swipe the rows of images to explore more related content. These features are currently rolling out to most Android 2.2+ and iOS 4+ devices. On Android, the feature is available through Google in the browser and the Quick Search Box. On iOS, the feature is available in the browser and will be coming soon to the Google Search App.
On the whole this is Google’s first attempt at making its legendary search solve problems rather than just deliver the information. Google may call it Knowledge Graph, but clearly takes cues from Wolfram Alpha’s Answer Engine, however it is still not as sophisticated.
Only last week Microsoft introduced a social based update to its Bing Search engine as the company integrated information from Facebook and Twitter.
At the end of the day as Google SVP Engineering Amit Singhal puts it,  Knowledge Graph will make search more intelligent and will make it more like the Star Trek computer. In the meanwhile check out the video below.