Introducing the Knowledge Graph

Wouldn't it be amazing if Google could understand that the words you use when you're doing a search aren't just words? They refer to real things in the world—a building is a building, an animal is an animal. They're not just random strings of characters. If we can understand that those words are talking about real-world things, we can do a better job of getting you just the content that you want off the web.

The way Google is trying to build information about real-world connections is by building a knowledge graph. The Knowledge Graph is about collecting information about objects in the real world. The object could be a person, a book, a movie, and many other types of things. For example, for a famous person, we collect relevant data about them, such as their date of birth or how tall they are. We can also connect that person to closely related objects in the Knowledge Graph.

Let's say you're interested in Renaissance painters. Or how about how many women have won the Nobel Prize? By understanding the relationships between things—like between painters and the Renaissance or women and the Nobel Prize—Google can do a better job of understanding what it is exactly you're searching for.

One of the first features we are going to introduce, which applies the Knowledge Graph, is a panel next to the web results when you have a question to answer. Others may have come to Google already to search for the same thing. Google can jump-start your research process by combining the information that others found useful with the information in the Knowledge Graph.

All of the collective human wisdom that comes through our search engine—what people are searching for—tells us what are the interesting things to put in our database. Take Leonardo da Vinci, for example. Let's say you wanted to learn about the most important Renaissance painters. You might search for Leonardo da Vinci because he's the only Renaissance painter you know about. Now, you'll see information right in the search results that helps you explore the broader topic of Renaissance painters. You will see some of the most famous paintings from that era, like the Mona Lisa, and discover other painters of that time, like Michelangelo and Raphael.

We're in the early phases of moving from being an information engine to becoming a knowledge engine, and these enhancements are one step in that direction. As we grow the Knowledge Graph and make it larger and richer, we're really excited at the opportunity we have to understand more of the users' queries, to understand more about the information that's out there on the web, and intelligently connect the two to each other.

Keyword

Google
Knowledge Graph
Real-world connections
Information engine
Knowledge engine
Renaissance painters
Leonardo da Vinci
Mona Lisa
Michelangelo
Raphael
Nobel Prize
Search queries

FAQ

Q: What is the Knowledge Graph?
A: The Knowledge Graph is about collecting information about real-world objects such as people, books, and movies. It helps Google understand the relationships between things to provide more accurate search results.

Q: How does the Knowledge Graph enhance Google searches?
A: By understanding the relationships between different entities, Google can provide richer and more relevant information right in the search results, helping users explore topics more comprehensively.

Q: Can you give an example of how the Knowledge Graph works?
A: If you search for "Leonardo da Vinci," the Knowledge Graph will not only provide data about him but also information on related Renaissance painters like Michelangelo and Raphael and famous artworks like the Mona Lisa.

Q: What is the ultimate goal of the Knowledge Graph?
A: The goal is to transition from being an information engine to a knowledge engine, improving the understanding of user queries and the information available on the web, and connecting them intelligently.

Q: What new feature is being introduced with the Knowledge Graph?
A: A new panel next to the web results combines information from the Knowledge Graph and what others found useful, helping users jump-start their research process on a given topic.