Google has three separate programs that combined manage "SEARCH." As a whole. They all have cute names. Hummingbird 

Hummingbird - This was update the main feature was recognizing keywords by syntax. In other words recognizing keywords without you having to use them specifically. Looking at a page and contextually understanding what you where TRYING to convey. This update worked out so well they permanently added the functionality to google search and called this specific part of the google program "hummingbird". 

RANKBRAIN affects 30% of search and is the Artifical Intelligence conversation that started this thread.RANKBRAIN is specifically used on keywords that are extremely long and infrequently used. Many people type whole sentences into "google" like: "Where can I go in Lawndale to find the best auto mechanic". Rankbrain LEARNS by sending these inquiries to what it THINKS are the best answers. It can "decide" if it made the right decision based on how long you spend on the website it sent you too. Whether you stay or go... it "learns" and UPDATES ITSELF. 

PENGUIN: Actively seeks out websites that attempt to "game google" it has over 200 metrics to it and is far to complicated to try to explain. Suffice it to say a MAJOR part of Googles search algorithm is dedicated to finding and penalizing websites that use "shortcuts" to gain rank in google search. 

It's Inbound Real Estate Marketing :-). I hope this helps if not let me know what I can clarify. 

Google is all about gathering info, free has a price, but some do not know or care

I think that Google is Brilliant, I enjoy most of their free stuff, and I suspect that they enjoy spying on me.

Annette,

Regardless of the word "free" there is a big payoff for Google.

Just when you think it is free you pay the price!

I think they started out providing email and a browser and then evolved into this bigger stuff.

I avoid G at all costs whenever possible - if I were a conspiracy theorist I would unload

Ron and Alexandra Seigel nailed this one!

Google's major income comes from advertising. Offering free benefits, attracting more people while making more money through advertising.

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 - plan with purpose! Love that.

I believe that people who run and create Google are incredibly smart. 

I can't think that much tonight!

 I rate them with NSA and CIA for invasion of privacy.

The smart ones have a plan and expand on it

Nothing is free with Google..they are brilliant, gathering all kinds of information and we flock to it..it is the only game in town. 

Of course they were looking at the big picture and mining data they were collecting. In doing that they gave away free stuff, got us hooked and frankly I think it was brilliant. It is my personal choice to use they products and I can switch anytime I want. The others however will catch up one day as well. 

Yep, nothing is for free.  Always known it was to power intelligence on people for advertising/etc.

P.S.  The GPhone is not free.

I've always thought Google was brilliant and innovative.  I'll have to go read the respons from Inbound Real Estate Marketing on your other question. -Kasey

To be honest, I never think about google except to search on the web. My gmail account is for junk mail. 

I only know my purpose for using it...IT MAKES MY PHONE RING....

Google is king of the Hill

Some of the modern technology like UI, machine language finally allows a better tool. When I say better it is slightly more efficient than those from a decade ago.  Google phone is a flop. Google product is still a hit and miss.

At a celebration of life not long ago, I related to the audience about flat panel technology made in the early 1980s. I pulled a saved eMail sent from 1983 from the relative. People say what? We just started using flat panel and eMail this is 34 years ago! Indeed, everything developed today has deep root. Today's cell phone antenna was deemed to be limited in size as early as 1950s.

Google is very smart.

Thank you for sharing.

Very smart.

Pioneers in the intel-gathering, for sure!  As Scott Godzyk mentioned, many don't care that there is a price to pay.

While it would be nice if a business just GAVE (Gee what a great idea to create a genuine businesses that help just to HELP) but they are primarily a data mining company as nearly every online company is.

Wow I learn so much by the answers for your blog THANKS!

The question hurts my head ....

Without reading your linked post, some purposes are to sell advertising and make revenue from various other sources and develop a very large dataset of information to be used for many purposes.

I stopped using g products more than a decade ago. Analytics is what g uses to steer customers away when they are ready to make a purchase.

Google was very smart.  Most people are just asleep when it comes to knowing the price they pay for "free".