According to various reports, a new feature called “AI Mode” is set to be introduced in Google’s search engine, offering users an interactive experience similar to its Gemini chatbot.
The upcoming Google AI mode reflects the growing trend of integrating AI into search functionalities, an area where competitors like OpenAI or Perplexity are making progress.
The feature’s primary goal is said to expand the user base of Gemini, Google’s multimodal model developed by Google DeepMind. Currently, Gemini operates separately from Google’s main web search.
AI Mode as a Highlighted New Feature
Located on the top left of the search results page, “AI Mode” will be prominently featured alongside existing tabs like “All,” “Images,” “Videos,” and “Shopping,” as reported by The Information.
Engaging this mode will alter the search interface, transforming it into a conversational platform. Within this transformed interface, users will find links to relevant web pages and a search bar that prompts follow-up questions with the phrase “Ask a follow-up…,” says The Information.
Findings uncovered by Android Authority within a beta version of the Google app, prove the feature’s development. Furthermore, 9to5Google found hints within the app’s code, suggesting that users may also interact with “AI Mode” through voice commands.
Toward a Conversational Search Experience
The introduction of “AI Mode” will bring a shift toward a more dynamic and conversational search experience. Identified in the beta version through the APK teardown, an “AI Mode” button, represented by a magnifying glass with a star, is not the only indicator of change.
Google has also experimented with the ability to attach files to searches, thus expanding interaction beyond text and voice. The company currently showcases Google Gemini’s capabilities through promotional links on its search homepage.
While Google has already incorporated AI-generated summaries for select queries with its Search Generative Experience, a feature expanded to numerous new countries in October, “AI Mode” will bring a more direct integration of AI into the core search experience.
A source working on the product told The Information that the “move would effectively expand Gemini’s audience,” a necessary step as the chatbot has been struggling to catch up to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Intensifying Competition in AI-Driven Search
The integration of “AI Mode” into Google Search occurs as competition in AI-driven search capabilities intensifies. OpenAI recently rolled out live search functionality in ChatGPT to all users, including those without a paid subscription, which highlights the evolving expectations for search engines.
Microsoft, with its AI-powered Bing search, and the emergence of Perplexity as another player offering AI-powered search, further demonstrate the trend.
Even DuckDuckGo, a search engine known for its focus on privacy, has introduced AI summaries and a privacy-focused AI chat feature.
