Google Chrome's AI Mode update lets you explore web pages side-by-side with AI search

Google now lets you explore the web side-by-side with AI Mode | TechCrunch

Google announced on Thursday that it's rolling out a new way to explore the web with AI Mode, its conversational search experience. Now, when you're using AI Mode on Chrome desktop, clicking a link will open the webpage side-by-side with AI Mode. The goal is to make it easier to explore relevant websites, compare details, and ask follow-up questions while preserving the context of your search, the tech giant says. For example, if you want to purchase a new a coffee maker, you can describe what you're looking for in AI Mode and get a range of options. Once you click on one, you can open the retailer's website alongside AI Mode and ask specific questions, like "how easy is this to clean?" AI Mode will then use context from the page and from across the web to answer your questions. "Our early testers loved that they didn't have to constantly switch tabs to get help with a comprehensive article or a long video," Google explained in a blog post. "And they found that having both Search and the web side-by-side helped them stay focused on their tasks while exploring useful web pages." Google also announced a new way to search across the Chrome tabs you're already looking at. On Chrome desktop or mobile, you can tap the new "plus" menu in the search box on the "New Tab" page or in AI Mode, then select recent tabs to include them in your search. This means you can mix and match multiple tabs, images, or files and bring that context into your AI Mode searches. For example, if you're researching local hiking trails and already have a few tabs open, you can add them to your search and ask for similar trails in a different location. Or, if you're studying for a statistics exam, you can bring in context from open tabs, class notes, lecture slides, and more to ask for examples to illustrate a concept. The new updates to AI Mode are now available in the U.S. in English. Google plans to expand them to additional regions in the future.

Google's AI Mode Update Tries to Kill Tab Hopping in Chrome

Starting today in the US, if you click a hyperlink in AI Mode on the desktop version of Chrome, the link opens right there -- with Google's search chatbot still present as a sidebar on the left side of the screen. Previously, when you clicked on a hyperlink in one of Google Search's AI Mode outputs, it opened a new browser tab in the same window. You clicking on that link effectively ended the search journey, and AI Mode stayed behind, right where it was, in the old tab. This update to AI Mode means that once you begin a search using that tool in Chrome, the search tool essentially becomes an always-on aspect of your user experience. In an example interaction that Google shared, a user enters a long query into the AI Mode search bar. They are looking for a Ninja coffee maker that can fit on the counter space in their small apartment, makes great lattes, and is easy to use. AI Mode browses the internet and generates an output that suggests a few single-serve Ninja models designed to be compact. When the user clicks on a link for one of the products, Ninja's website pops up in the same tab, and AI Mode transforms into a sidebar on the left side of the screen. This allows the user to ask follow-up questions to the chatbot without having to tab back to the original search query. The user asks how to clean the coffee maker in AI Mode and clicks on a relevant YouTube video, which also pops up in the same tab with the search tool beside it. It's worth noting that in WIRED's testing of similar AI search tools for product recommendations, AI summaries weren't as accurate or reliable as just reading a website. Another new capability of this update, designed to kill tab hopping in Chrome, is the ability to search multiple tabs you already have open and may be connected by a similar topic. If you click the plus menu in AI Mode, or a new plus option directly inside the Google Search box, you can choose multiple tabs for the search tool to analyze as it comes up with your answers. It's also possible to attach files and images as part of your query.

Google Is Adding New Ways to Use AI Mode in Chrome

Macy has been working for CNET for coming on 2 years. Prior to CNET, Macy received a North Carolina College Media Association award in sports writing. Google has rolled out a slew of updates and features to Chrome in the last few weeks, such as immersive reading and vertical tabs. And the changes are still coming. On Thursday, Google launched a new Search experience in Chrome that upgrades its AI Mode to make it easier to research and switch tabs. Here are the three new features rolling out now in the US, with plans to expand coming soon. Read also: Chrome Now Lets You Create 1-Click Workflows With Your Favorite AI Prompts During a demo for reporters this week, Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google Search, showed off a feature that will open any web page you click on side-by-side with AI Mode. The goal is for the side-by-side layout to make it easier to explore similar websites, dive deeper into details and ask follow-up questions. Stein used an example of researching how McLaren's Formula 1 racing team trains pit crews to complete lightning-fast pit stops. Using AI Mode in Chrome, you can easily toggle to related pages, maybe even reading about how McLaren holds the Formula 1 fastest pit record at just 1.80 seconds, set when driver Lando Norris pitted at the Qatar Grand Prix in 2023. AI Mode in Chrome allows you not to break your flow when you fall down internet rabbit holes. You can also search across Chrome tabs. To get started, you can simply select tabs and add them to your search by tapping "plus" menu on the New Tab page or the plus menu in AI Mode. Once you click the plus button, AI Mode will provide responses and suggest more sites to explore. Using this feature, you can search across multiple tabs, images or files (like PDFs) and bring them into your AI Mode searches. In the demo Stein and Mike Torres, vice president of product for Chrome, showed how this feature can be used to study for a midterm. In this instance, you can incorporate context from open Chrome tabs with your class or lecture notes, slides, readings and other study materials, and then ask for help from there. AI Mode will then use those Chrome tabs and materials to provide a custom response to answer your question. This feature is available now on Chrome desktop or mobile. Google is also making it easier to access tools like Canvas, a popular learning management system used by many schools and universities, or image creation, which allows you to create and edit images in a few seconds, in AI Mode. Just click the new plus menu in Chrome to launch these platforms.

Google's AI Mode update lets you open links without leaving the page

Google is upgrading AI Mode in Chrome with a new feature that will allow you to open links to sources alongside your chat. Now, instead of automatically opening a new tab, clicking a source will open the website side by side with AI Mode, allowing you to ask follow-up questions about what's on the page. Launched last year, AI Mode is the chatbot-like search feature that lives within a tab on the left side of Google's search engine. Google has added several new features to the tool over the past year, including the ability to generate images of outfits and decor based on your descriptions, visualize your travel plans, and find restaurant reservations. It also recently began showing links to sources more prominently amid concerns that its AI-powered search features are negatively impacting traffic to news publishers and other websites. Additionally, if you're using AI Mode in Chrome on desktop or mobile, you can now use the feature to select specific tabs for it to draw from, rather than pasting in separate links. To do this, select the "plus" button in AI Mode or in Google's search box, and you'll see a list of your recent tabs that you can select. AI Mode will then answer your question based on your tabs. Google says you can also add images or files to these searches as well. These AI Mode updates are available now to users in the US, with a global expansion coming "soon."

How Google's updated AI Mode will ease your tab clutter when you search

Running a Google search typically shows me the AI overview with an AI-generated summary of the information I want. Since AI isn't always accurate, I make sure to click on some of the links to the third-party sources to investigate them directly. But in the past, this was a clumsy process as each link would open in a separate tab, forcing me to juggle multiple tabs. Now, a new change to AI Mode cuts down on that type of tab clutter. Rolling out to Google Chrome on Thursday is an upgrade to AI Mode that lets you focus on each search result you visit without losing your train of thought. With the new search mode, any website you visit by clicking its link opens side-by-side with your AI Mode screen. This means you can view your search window and the site you visit together on one page. You can then ask Google follow-up questions while still viewing the third-party site. "Now, when you're using AI Mode on Chrome desktop, clicking a link opens the web page side-by-side with AI Mode," Google said in a new blog post. "This makes it much easier to visit relevant websites, compare details, and ask follow-up questions while still maintaining the context of your search." As one example offered by Google, let's say you're shopping for a coffee maker that fits in your apartment and can make lattes. Using AI Mode in Google Search in Chrome, describe what you want, and you'll see not only the AI summary but links to websites for different retailers. Click the link for a specific retailer, and the resulting website opens next to your AI Mode window. You can then ask Google questions about a coffee maker, and AI Mode will provide more details. Here's another example. Maybe you're searching Google for information on a technology product. Among the linked results used for the AI overview is one for a ZDNET story. Clicking the link takes you to the story, which displays side-by-side with AI Mode. You can then ask Google further questions about the product while still viewing the story. "Our early testers loved that they didn't have to constantly switch tabs to get help with a comprehensive article or a long video," Google said. "And they found that having both Search and the web side-by-side helped them stay focused on their tasks while exploring useful web pages." And there's one more item on the list. Using Chrome on the desktop or mobile, you're now able to search across your recent tabs. To do this, select the new Plus menu in the box on the New Tab page (or the existing Plus menu within AI Mode). Select any of your recent tabs and add them to your search. You can now ask any questions related to the pages in all those tabs. As one example from Google, maybe you're studying for a test or other type of assignment. Your open tabs are filled with class notes, lecture slides, and academic papers, but you need more. Based on the content in those tabs, ask Google to suggest more sites for you to visit. The new updates are currently rolling out in the US, starting with US English, and should reach all users by the end of the day. Google promises that it'll soon expand to other regions. To get these new features, you need Chrome version 146.0.7680.174 or higher. In Chrome, click the ellipsis icon at the top, go to Help, and then select About Google Chrome. You can then check and update your current version if needed. Then just restart the browser to see if the AI Mode changes have reached you. For now, the AI Mode updates are accessible only in Chrome on the desktop, even if you use the standard Google search engine via a different browser. But according to a Google spokesperson, the goal is to bring these capabilities to as many people as possible across the web.

Google Chrome makes it easier to wrangle different tabs in AI Mode

Love 'em or hate 'em, no modern browser is complete without robust tab support, and so too would it seem Google's AI Mode. Starting today, the company is rolling out an update to users in the US that makes the tool better at interacting and understanding tabs. To start, the next time you use AI Mode on Chrome for desktop and click on a link, the chatbot will open a new side-by-side interface that allows you to both browse the new webpage and ask questions of AI Mode. The connection allows the chatbot to maintain the context of the search that brought you to that website in the first place. For instance, say you're looking for a new coffee maker to buy for your apartment. After AI Mode finds a handful of different models for you to compare, you can click on one to go to the manufacturer's website and ask additional questions of the chatbot like "how easy is this to clean?" Thanks to the expanded context window, you don't need to refer to the specific name of the model. Meanwhile, if you have an existing tab or group of tabs that you'd like AI Mode to factor into a new search, you can do that now too. From the redesigned Plus menu, just click the new option that's there. While you're in the Plus menu, you can also prompt AI Mode to consider other materials, including images and PDFs, alongside any relevant tabs. In testing, Google says users found the integration translated to less tab switching, and made it easier to focus. Mike Torres, vice-president of product for Chrome, said the new features represent a broader effort by Google to bring practical AI capabilities to its web browser. Torres added the company would soon bring today's updates to more places around the world.

Chrome is leveling up AI Mode with split-screen view and local tab search

Creative tools like Canvas and Nano Banana are finding a more prominent home. Google's already come a long way with its approach to AI across Search, and that's only been getting more useful with easy access to AI Mode in the Chrome browser. This week, Google's sharing two simple yet powerful upgrades arriving for AI Mode in Chrome, with a new split-screen view and the ability to search across your tabs. Getting started with AI Mode has been as easy as hitting its button in your Search bar on a new tab -- and that's not changing. But so far, that's given you your AI Mode responses in one Chrome tab, and if you wanted to explore one of the source links contributing to those results, Chrome would open that in a new tab. If you weren't yet done with AI Mode's report, you could end up tabbing back and forth a lot -- not ideal. Instead of that, Google's now hooking Chrome up with a split-screen interface for AI Mode, letting you explore every reference that comes up while not abandoning those original results. You can even keep interacting with AI Mode using the additional context you uncover, digging deeper and deeper into a topic. The other big upgrade concerns AI Mode's awareness of what you've been up to in your other Chrome tabs. Just like you can already attach files or images by hitting the "plus" button in the bar, you'll now also be able to select recent Chrome tabs. That can give you a head start on bringing AI Mode up to speed with a topic you were already investigating, or allow you to dive deeper than you were able to on your own. Functionally, those are our big ones today, but Google's also continuing to refine the UI you'll encounter when working with AI Mode. Here, that means bringing our "plus" button to the main Search bar, speeding up access to not just AI Mode in general, but also letting you jump straight into creative tools like Canvas or Nano Banana image generation. These new Chrome AI Mode abilities are rolling out today across all platforms for English-language users in the US.

Chrome just flipped the switch on its new enhanced AI Mode, and it's a huge upgrade

Timi is the news and deals reporter for Android Police, who has been reporting on technology since 2008. He has worked in tech retail and also the IT space, providing hardware and software support, which gives him a unique perspective on the tech that he covers. This allows him to effectively break down complex subjects into easy-to-read pieces that even casual readers can enjoy. Before joining Android Police, he was a news writer for XDA, where he eventually transitioned to covering deals. He also worked as an editor and reporter for Neowin, where he covered news and attended major tech events like CES. He also reviewed phones, tablets, PC products, and other devices. In addition, he also created video content for the Neowin YouTube channel. I don't run a multiple-monitor setup, so when I start to multitask, it's my browser that gets swamped with an endless amount of tabs, making it hard to find what I'm looking for in an instant. Sure, I could probably come up with something more clever, but this setup works for me, and I've gotten used to it since this is what I've been using for the past couple of years. During that time, Chrome has slowly evolved with more tools, like a dedicated Gemini button that can see what you're doing and provide feedback on the fly. And in some cases the browser can even do all the heavy lifting for you. Of course, things can always get better, which is why Google is announcing a huge upgrade for Chrome today with its new AI Mode experience. This will be a game-changer for some Google shares that this mode "transforms how you interact with the web," which says a lot considering just how much things have changed over the past year. Now, we've seen updates to Chrome before, but this one could be a real game-changer. Users will be able to use a new side-by-side Search feature that will allow them to have one web page open, while still being able to access vital tools within AI Mode. Google shares this "makes it easier to visit relevant websites, compare details, and ask follow-up questions while maintaining the context of your search." Rather than have a passive web browsing experience, things can become more active as you utilize AI Mode to learn more about the things that you're looking at. Another new feature that will go live today will be the ability to search across all open tabs on Chrome. This will allow AI Mode to explore all the tabs you have opened, while also creating better responses from the data. We've all been there, searching for new information, opening up a ton of different tabs, and having to look through each one to break down all the information. Well, that's no longer going to be the case with AI Mode. Just pop open all your tabs, ask questions about it all at once, and get the answers you're looking for. To take things even further, Chrome with AI Mode will now be able to process different types of data. While web pages are a given, this new update will also be able to intake images, PDFs, and other supported files. As you can imagine, this will make researching much easier, taking things to new levels. Although these are all simple changes, they will push what can be done on the web forward, making deep research more efficient. While I don't use AI tools for work, I do sometimes dabble when looking up things for personal research. Document reviews, airline rules, product comparisons, you name it. Being able to get quick answers from AI Mode while browsing a web page and having other vtial documents open is really going to make the process feel more seamless. The updates are going live in the US for now, and there are plans to expand the feature to users throughout the world.

Google AI Mode getting deep Chrome integration on desktop, mobile

Like the Gemini app before, Google is now deeply integrating AI Mode with desktop and mobile Chrome. On the desktop New Tab Page (NTP), tapping the "AI Mode" button now opens an inline prompt box instead of just taking you to the website. When you click on links in AI Mode, the conversation will shrink into a new side panel, so you can browse and ask follow-up questions about the open page or YouTube video. Google says early users in testing liked how there's less tab switching, and that "having both Search and the web side-by-side helped them stay focused on their tasks while exploring useful web pages." Chrome's address bar is also becoming a full AI Mode prompt box. Tapping the 'plus' lets you "Add recent tabs" for context, as well as upload images and files, Create images, Deep Search, Canvas, and switch Gemini 3 models. There's the ability to mix and match inputs/uploads. On the Android and iOS NTP, tapping the search bar opens the fullscreen search/address bar UI like before. The pill will expand into a prompt box the more you type. This mobile plus menu lets you access the Camera, Gallery, and Files, with "Tabs" bringing up a grid UI to select open pages. This expanded AI Mode integration is available in Chrome for desktop, Android, and iOS. Starting today, it's rolling out in US English with more countries and languages in the future.

AI mode in Chrome gets a big upgrade to save you some tab hopping

Chrome just made tab hopping a thing of the past with its upgraded AI Mode, and it's genuinely useful. If you have ever gone down a rabbit hole while searching for something online, you know the drill. You open one tab, follow a link, open another, and another, and suddenly you have 14 tabs open and zero answers. It was one of the reasons that forced me to switch to Arc Browser, which offered easier-to-manage vertical tabs, which, incidentally, Google Chrome also added a week back. But Google is not stopping there, and is adding a meaningful upgrade to AI Mode in Chrome to fix this issue. So, what has Google done to solve tab chaos? The biggest change is that clicking a link in AI Mode no longer yanks you away from your search. Instead, the webpage opens alongside AI Mode, so you can browse the site and still ask follow-up questions without losing your place. Recommended Videos Google gave a shopping example to illustrate this feature. Say you're shopping for a compact coffee maker that can pull a decent latte. You describe what you want in AI Mode and search for it. You find a model you like and click on its link. Instead of opening in a new tab, it will open right there on the right side. Now, you can ask questions like, "How easy is this to clean?" AI Mode will pull context from the page and give you an actual answer. No new tab, no starting over. It works just as well for research. If you're learning about McLaren's racing teams, you can browse McLaren's official site alongside AI Mode and keep firing questions in real time. I don't think the feature has rolled out to everyone yet. I tried repeating the same steps, but the links are still opening in a new tab. So, if you are not seeing this feature, wait for it to roll out in the coming days. What else do you get with this new update? Another major addition is the ability to search across tabs, and that is arguably the more exciting part for me. On both desktop and mobile, a new "plus" menu in the search box lets you pull in your already-open tabs and add them to your AI Mode search. You can mix and match tabs, images, and even PDFs. Studying for an exam? Add your class notes, lecture slides, and reading tabs to the search, then ask AI Mode to explain something you are stuck on. It will use all that context to give you a tailored response. Many AI browsers, including Perplexity Comet, offer a similar cross-tab search feature, and it's good to see Google Chrome join the party.

A new way to explore the web with AI Mode in Chrome

This content is generated by Google AI. Generative AI is experimental Finding information online can often feel like a constant game of "tab hopping." You start searching in one tab, then open another to follow a specific idea or topic. Then you have to switch back to Search to keep your train of thought going. Our new Search experience in Chrome can change that. Today's upgrades for AI Mode in Chrome make it easier to access and engage with content and dive deeper into what you find -- all without losing your place or needing to switch tabs. It's a more fluid way to discover and learn from the vast range of perspectives across the web. Now, when you're using AI Mode on Chrome desktop, clicking a link opens the webpage side-by-side with AI Mode. This makes it much easier to visit relevant websites, compare details and ask follow-up questions while still maintaining the context of your search. Let's say you're shopping for a coffee maker that fits in your cozy apartment and can make lattes. Just head to AI Mode in Search, describe what you're looking for and you'll get a range of options that fit your criteria. See a model you like? Open the retailer's site alongside AI Mode and ask specific questions, like, "How easy is this to clean?" Using context from the page and from across the web, AI Mode will share the insights you're looking for, helping you make an informed decision with ease.

AI Mode Gets Massive Update in Chrome

Google is rolling out an updated experience for AI Mode on Chrome for both desktop and mobile users. During a roundtable event with media this week, the company said the ultimate goal is to, "Help people dive deeper into topics while searching AI Mode alongside the web, all without losing their place or needing to switch between tabs." To facilitate this, when a user is in AI Mode on Chrome for desktop, clicking a link opens the webpage side-by-side. Google says this change makes it easier to visit relevant websites, compare details, and ask follow-up questions while still maintaining the context of a search. Shopping for a specific product is the example Google uses for this. Let's say you want a new lawnmower, given it's that time of year. After determining a model you might like, you can use AI Mode side-by-side to ask questions about said model. Is it easy to maintain? What type of warranty does it come with? Using context from the page and from across the web, AI Mode will share insights you're asking for, helping the user make an informed decision. Add tabs to a search: On Chrome for desktop and mobile, you can tap on the new "plus" menu in the search box on the New Tab page (or the existing plus menu in AI Mode) to select recent tabs and add them to a search. Google says you can add all sorts of things to any given search, such as multiple tabs, images, PDFs, and more to give a search as much context as possible. For the students here, let's say you're studying for a midterm. You can now bring in context from open tabs along with your class notes, lecture slides, and academic papers and ask Gemini for more examples on explaining a tricky concept. AI Mode will utilize the selected tabs and other inputted information to provide the best response possible, as well as suggest more sites to help you. Capping it off, tools like Canvas and image creation are now accessible inside of AI Mode via the new plus menu in Chrome. All of these changes are now live in AI Mode in the US.

AI Mode in Chrome adds split-screen view to enhance the web search experience - SiliconANGLE

AI Mode in Chrome adds split-screen view to enhance the web search experience Google LLC today rolled out a major revamp of AI Mode in Google Chrome, giving users a more efficient way to explore the web through its conversational search experience. The most impactful update is that clicking links in AI Mode will see the resulting webpage open up alongside the artificial intelligence interface. This means that users can retain the context of their original search, review different websites it cites, make comparisons and ask follow up questions. For instance, if someone is looking to buy a new coffee maker and wants some very specific features, they can tell AI Mode exactly what they're looking for and it will pull up a list of suitable products. If the user clicks on one of the options, they'll be able to browse that website with the AI Mode tab right there alongside it. They can then ask more pointed questions, such as "how easy is this to clean?" and AI Mode will scan both the open page and the wider web to generate an informed answer. In a blog post, Google Vice Presidents of Product Robby Stein and Mike Torres said early testers loved the fact that they "didn't have to constantly switch tabs to get help with a comprehensive article or long video." In addition, they found that "having both Search and the web side-by-side helped them stay focused on their tasks while exploring useful web pages." As an expansion of this feature, Google is also making it possible to use AI Mode to search across open tabs in Chrome. If a user taps the new "plus" menu in the search box in AI Mode or on a new tab, they can then select which open tabs they'd like to include in a new search. Users can also upload files such as images and PDFs, bringing additional context into their searches. In an example, Stein and Torres said someone might be researching local hiking trails, and in doing so they may already have a few tabs open of top destinations they're interested in. They can then use the "plus" menu to ask AI Mode to find similar trails in a different location, and it will know exactly what they're looking for. As an alternative, if someone is studying for a statistics exam, they might want to bring the context from open tabs or their class notes into a search and ask Google to dig up more examples that illustrate a specific concept. Today's updates follow an aggressive push by Google to bring AI functionality into flagship products such as Search and Chrome. The company introduced AI Mode in Chrome last September, effectively transforming it into an "AI-native" browser. That built on the original AI Overviews feature in Google Search, which faced a lot of criticism early on due to the inconsistency of its answers. However, Google has worked hard to boost the accuracy of its AI responses, and the addition of tabbed context should help it to further refine the outputs it generates. The updates to AI Mode are launching in the U.S. first of all, and will be made available in other regions soon.

Google rolls out AI Mode feature for Chrome desktop

Google introduced AI Mode on Thursday for Chrome desktop, allowing users to explore the web with a side-by-side view of a web page and the AI assistant. This feature aims to enhance user experience by enabling easier comparisons and follow-up inquiries while keeping the search context intact. AI Mode simplifies web exploration by allowing users to describe their needs -- such as searching for a coffee maker -- and receive a variety of options. After selecting a retailer's website, users can ask specific questions about the product, with AI Mode providing answers based on both the page content and external sources. According to Google, early testers appreciated the feature for helping them stay focused on tasks without the need to frequently switch tabs. "Our early testers loved that they didn't have to constantly switch tabs to get help with a comprehensive article or a long video," Google said in a blog post. In addition to this, Google announced a new capability that enables users to search across currently open tabs on Chrome desktop or mobile. By tapping the "plus" menu in the search box on the "New Tab" page or in AI Mode, users can incorporate recent tabs into their search. This allows for tailored searches that can include multiple tabs, images, or files for added context. For instance, users researching local hiking trails can merge open tabs related to those trails in their search for similar locations. The updates to AI Mode are currently available in the U.S., with plans for future expansion to other regions.

AI Mode for Google Chrome Just Got a New Upgrade - Phandroid

Google recently announced that it's rolling out a new update to AI Mode in Chrome, which now brings a dual-pane interface that lets users browse websites and interact with search tools simultaneously. According to Google, the new functionality is designed to create a more fluid discovery process by keeping the search context visible even as users dive into specific web pages. The new feature essentially opens links side-by-side with AI Mode on desktop, which lets users compare product details or ask specific follow-up questions about a site's content without losing their place. For example, a shopper can open a retailer's page for a specific product and immediately ask Gemini for follow-up details using the context provided by the active page. In addition to side-by-side browsing, Chrome will now allow users to search across existing open tabs via a "plus" menu in the search box to select recent tabs, images, or PDFs and combine them into a single AI query. In addition to this, Google adds that Chrome has also integrated creative tools like Canvas and image generation directly into the search interface. As for availability, the updates are currently live for users in the United States and are expected to roll out to international markets in the coming months.

Google Chrome's AI Mode Now Supports Side-by-Side Browsing and More

The + menu in Chrome adds tabs to a query for better contextual searches Google announced upgrades to AI Mode in Google Chrome on Thursday. As per the Mountain View-based tech giant, the new features in the browser are aimed at making search more fluid and context-aware. Google is integrating search and browsing more closely. This allows users to interact with web pages and AI-generated responses side-by-side. With the latest changes, AI Mode will also be able to pull up context from multiple sources for more contextual responses. Chrome's Side-by-Side Browsing Could Help Maintain Focus Users accessing AI Mode in Chrome on a laptop or desktop computer can now open webpages alongside the search interface, Google said in a blog post. They can read a page, compare information, and ask follow-up questions without losing context. For example, while searching for a product such as a coffee maker, users can open a retailer's website in a split view and simultaneously ask AI Mode questions like ease of maintenance or performance. The tech giant says this system uses both on-page context and broader web data to generate responses for a more continuous research experience on the web. Google claims that early testers found the side-by-side interface useful for maintaining focus, especially when working through long articles or videos. For informational queries, similarly, they will now be able to explore multiple sources without breaking their flow. AI Mode can provide contextual answers while users browse related pages in parallel, irrespective of whether they are reading about topics like motorsports teams or more technical subjects. Apart from this, Google is also expanding AI Mode's ability to pull context from multiple sources. This includes open tabs, images, and documents. Users can access a new + menu in the Chrome search interface to add recent tabs or files to their query for more contextual searches. Giving an example, the company added that those researching travel options can include multiple open tabs and ask for recommendations based on them. Similarly, students can combine lecture notes, PDFs, and web pages for more tailored explanations or examples when studying. The new Search experience in Google Chrome also adds AI Mode tools like Canvas and image generation into more parts of the browser for easy access. All the aforementioned features are currently rolling out in the US and are expected to expand to more regions in the coming months.

Google expands Chrome AI Mode with side-by-side browsing and contextual AI assistance

Google is rolling out a new AI Mode experience in Chrome that integrates AI assistance directly into the browsing flow. The update reduces the need to switch between tabs by allowing users to view webpages, search results, and AI responses in a single interface. The aim is to keep browsing context intact while users search, read, and explore the web. In Chrome desktop, clicking a link in AI Mode now opens the webpage alongside the AI interface. Both views remain visible together, allowing users to read content while continuing the AI conversation. AI Mode also uses content from the open webpage along with broader web information to generate responses. This allows users to ask questions directly related to what they are reading, such as product details or feature comparisons, without leaving the page. The updated experience is designed to reduce frequent switching between search results and open tabs. Instead of moving back and forth, users can keep AI and webpages visible together in a continuous workflow. Early testers reported that this setup helped them follow long articles and watch extended videos without interruption. It also improved focus by keeping search assistance and content in one place. Google is also expanding AI Mode to support searches using existing Chrome content. Users can access this through the "plus" menu in the New Tab search box or within AI Mode. This allows multiple sources to be processed together in a single query. For example, users can combine study materials, compare multiple research pages, or analyze travel options across different tabs. AI Mode then uses this combined context to provide tailored responses and suggest additional relevant pages. Google is also bringing tools such as Canvas and image generation into AI Mode. These features are accessible through the same "plus" menu in Chrome, allowing users to use them while browsing or searching. The AI Mode experience in Chrome is currently rolling out in the United States. Google plans to expand availability to more regions in the future.