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Google MUM (2021): The Multitask Unified Model and What Reached Search

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Google announced MUM, the Multitask Unified Model, on 18th May 2021, calling it "1,000 times more powerful than BERT" and trained across 75 languages. It promised MUM-powered features "in the coming months and years".

MUM was announced by Pandu Nayak, Google Fellow and Vice President of Search, on 18th May 2021. The name stands for "Multitask Unified Model".

Google's claims were specific. MUM "uses the T5 text-to-text framework and is 1,000 times more powerful than BERT", and "it's trained across 75 different languages and many different tasks at once".

It was announced as a capability, not a ranking update. Google said: "We'll bring MUM-powered features and improvements to our products in the coming months and years."

Google's ranking systems guide now lists MUM among its active systems. It describes an AI system for understanding and generating language, used for specific tasks rather than general ranking.

MUM followed BERT, the 2019 language model Google applied to ranking and featured snippets.

Rollout log

  • MUM announced at Google I/O 2021.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is Google MUM?

The Multitask Unified Model, an AI system Google announced on 18th May 2021 as "1,000 times more powerful than BERT" and trained across 75 languages.

Was MUM an algorithm update?

No. Google announced it as a capability to be brought into products over "the coming months and years". Its ranking systems guide lists it as an active system used for specific tasks.

Compiled by Claude from primary sources, checked by Akash Mansukhani before publication. See how we source and correct this page.
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Cite this page: Keywords Everywhere, "Google MUM (2021): The Multitask Unified Model and What Reached Search", last updated 18th May 2021, https://keywordseverywhere.com/news/google-algorithm-updates/mum-update/