Google Expands AI Mode Access and Functionality, Enhancing Search Experience

Google's AI Mode gets expanded access and additional functionality | TechCrunch

Google is expanding access to AI Mode, its experimental feature that allows users to ask complex, multi-part questions and follow-ups to dig deeper on a topic directly within Search. The tech giant is also adding more functionality to the feature, including the ability to pick up where you left off on a search. Google launched AI Mode back in March as a way to take on popular services like Perplexity AI and OpenAI's ChatGPT Search. The updates announced today are designed to allow AI Mode to better compete with the aforementioned services. With this expansion, Google is getting rid of the waitlist for AI Mode. Now, anyone in the U.S. who is at least 18 years old can access the feature if they're enrolled in Labs, Google's experimental arm. Google is also going to make AI Mode accessible outside of Labs, as it's testing an AI Mode tab in Google Search that will be visible to a small percentage of people in the U.S. As for the new functionality, Google is making it possible to go a step beyond asking detailed questions about places and products. Now, you can use AI mode to do things like find a new restaurant or things you need for your next trip. You will now start to see visual place and product cards in AI Mode that you can tap on to get more details. When looking at local spots like restaurants or salons, you can quickly see info like ratings, reviews, and opening hours. For products, you will be able to see details like real-time prices and promotions, images, shipping details, and local inventory. For example, if you're searching for the best vintage shops with mid-century modern furniture, AI Mode can highlight nearby stores, provide real-time details like how busy they are, and let you quickly call or get directions. Or, if you're planning a camping trip, you try searching for something like "best foldable camping chair that would fit in a backpack for under $100." AI Mode will then give you a breakdown of recommended products, alongside product details and links to retailers. Google is also making it possible to pick up where you left off when using AI Mode, which should be helpful in cases where you're working on longer-running projects and tasks. On desktop, you can now click the new left-side panel in AI Mode to get to your past searches to see the information you were already given, and to ask follow-up questions.

Google's AI Mode Expanding to Everyone: Here's What It Does

Imad is a senior reporter covering Google and internet culture. Hailing from Texas, Imad started his journalism career in 2013 and has amassed bylines with The New York Times, The Washington Post, ESPN, Tom's Guide and Wired, among others. Google's experimental AI mode, an AI assistant in Search that pulls from the company's search index, is rolling out broadly, the company said in a blog post on Thursday. Soon, a "small percentage" of users will begin seeing the AI Mode tab in Search. For those wanting to get in on the AI Mode action immediately, they can gain access via Google Labs, no need to be put on a waitlist. Google says AI Mode will pull more information, including local images, ratings, reviews, store hours and real-time pricing. AI Mode also has memory, so it'll be possible to pick up from past AI Mode sessions. In AI Mode, it's possible to ask for the best folding camping chairs under $100, and it'll generate a breakdown with links to retailers, Google said. The company is likely taking this data from reviews posted online, both from users and dedicated websites. It's unclear whether Google will bank the affiliate revenue that comes from purchases made via online shopping recommendations. ChatGPT recently introduced new enhanced shopping recommendations but doesn't take affiliate revenue at the moment. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.) Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. AI Mode further fuses Google's core product with AI. This comes as competitors like Perplexity bill themselves as AI search engines, combining the generative capabilities of AI with online search. Given that Google is the world's most popular search engine, with 90% market share according to StartCounter, its search index is highly powerful. Google's dedicated AI assistant, Gemini, too ranks highly on benchmarks. By melding both Search and AI, it could make for a compelling product for users. Google's AI Mode, however, does potentially change how publishers gain traffic via Search. For decades, publishers have relied on Google's blue links to bring them clicks. If users can get all the information they need via AI Mode, and, as a result, don't click out to the sources that feed the AI that information, it could spell trouble for how sites make money.

Google's AI Mode may be the upgrade Search desperately needs - how to try it for free

Planning that summer trip? AI Mode can help you in ways Search can't. Google yesterday updated AI Mode, making it a better fit for planning your summer vacation, shopping trip, or learning more about any topic. Plus, if you're interested in trying the tool, access to it just got a lot easier. Google's new AI Mode takes Search's real-time information access and combines it with the best generative AI capabilities -- such as longer natural queries and personalized answers -- to create an AI search engine experience. It is especially helpful for nuanced questions with many criteria, like shopping and trip planning. Also: New Google Labs experiments help you learn new languages in 'bite-sized' lessons "We are really enabling, helping you shop and seek local businesses, and plan your travel much better," said Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, the director of Search product management, to ZDNET. "We're taking AI Mode and elevating it by connecting it to the rich content that we have in our shopping graph, as well as the millions of businesses that we have in our local database." You can already use AI Mode to learn about any topic, including products or trip destinations. However, with the latest update, AI Mode will display visual place and product cards that you can click for more information. Also: Want a quick daily podcast based on your interests? Try Google's latest AI experiment While the emergence of AI agents has now made AI assistants that can book trips for you a reality, AI Mode serves as a research partner, helping you get the information you need to book your trip with ease. The same goes for shopping. When searching for a location, such as a restaurant, you will get information such as ratings, reviews, and hours, while products will show shippable options with real-time price, images, local inventory, and more. All the information is pulled freshly off the web, so it has the most up-to-date details. "If you ask a question like, 'I'm looking for a midcentury modern furniture store where I want to get a dresser, and I'm looking for these particularities,' the model can take that into consideration, respond, find the best businesses for you, and then allow you to access right there all the richness of the information the businesses that we have really worked for years to build out," Esmaeilzadeh said. AI Mode will now have a new left-side panel that contains your past searches. This panel allows you to reference these searches later or return to the conversation with follow-up questions. "In AI Mode, people really are engaging in follow-ups, and they are coming to it from more of these long-running journeys or research journeys, so we want to really make it easy in the product for people to be able to reference back the work that they did to pick up where they've left off," Esmaeilzadeh said. Although it may seem like a basic feature, can you imagine a world where you never access your Google Search history? Similarly, accessing past conversations will be a valuable productivity tool. To access AI Mode, users typically go to Google Labs and sign up for the waitlist -- until now. If you want to try AI Mode for yourself, US users can now get immediate access. Visit Google Labs to get started. The feedback on AI Mode has been positive, with users reporting it to be helpful, according to Google. As a result, the company is expanding access through a limited test outside of Labs. A small percentage of US Google Search users will see the AI Mode tab on the Search page. Google says it will continue to use user feedback to enhance the model. Also: 5 easy Gemini settings tweaks to protect your privacy from AI Google took a similar rollout approach when it launched AI Overviews, the feature that populates an AI-generated summary at the top of your search results page. This experience eventually moved out of Labs and became a regular part of users' search results. If AI Mode reminds you of AI Overviews, that similarity is by design. AI Mode is meant to be more of an extension of the AI Overviews experience than a brand-new one, allowing users to ask follow-ups to the AI-powered responses and lean into searches that don't depend on keywords. Also: People are Googling fake sayings to see AI Overviews explain them - and it's hilarious Another major difference is that, unlike AI Overviews, which only populates AI responses when it deems relevant, AI Mode helps users predictably get AI-generated responses on demand. "Power users came to us and said, 'Hey, we enjoy this [AI Overviews], we want to have this more predictably,'" Esmaeilzadeh said. Although you could technically take the same approach with Gemini, Google does make a distinction. Gemini is meant to function more as an assistant that can co-work with you, whereas AI Mode should function first and foremost as an information-seeking platform. Also: Why I just added Gemini 2.5 Pro to the very short list of AI tools I pay for "Gemini 2.0 I really view as a personal assistant that is focused on a lot of your productivity, creativity tasks, whether it's writing or image generation or coding, in AI Mode, we live and breathe the search goal of making access to information effortless," Esmaeilzadeh added. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Google is putting AI Mode right in Search

Google is preparing to publicly unleash its AI Mode search engine tool for the first time. The company announced today that "a small percentage" of people in the US will start seeing an AI Mode tab in Google Search "in the coming weeks," allowing users to test the search-centric chatbot outside of Google's experimental Labs environment. In contrast to traditional search platforms that provide a wall of URL results based on the enquiry or descriptions a user has entered, Google's AI Mode will answer questions with an AI-generated response based on information within Google's search index. This also differs from the AI Overviews already available in Google Search, which sandwich an AI-generated summary of information between the search box and web results.

Google's AI Mode just got more helpful - and easier to access

Google has updated AI Mode, making it a better fit for planning your summer vacation, shopping trip, or learning more about any topic. Plus, if you're interested in trying the tool, access to it just got a lot easier. Google's new AI Mode takes Search's real-time information access and combines it with the best generative AI capabilities -- such as longer natural queries and personalized answers -- to create an AI search engine experience. It is especially helpful for nuanced questions with many criteria, like shopping and trip planning. Also: New Google Labs experiments help you learn new languages in 'bite-sized' lessons "We are really enabling, helping you shop and seek local businesses, and plan your travel much better," said Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, the director of Search product management, to ZDNET. "We're taking AI Mode and elevating it by connecting it to the rich content that we have in our shopping graph, as well as the millions of businesses that we have in our local database." You can already use AI Mode to learn about any topic, including products or trip destinations. However, with the latest update, AI Mode will display visual place and product cards you can click for more information. Also: Want a quick daily podcast based on your interests? Try Google's latest AI experiment While the emergence of AI agents have now made AI assistants that can book trips for you a reality, AI Mode serves as a research partner, helping you get the information you need to book your trip with ease. The same goes for shopping. When searching for a location, such as a restaurant, you will get information such as ratings, reviews, and hours, while products will show shippable options with real-time price, images, local inventory, and more. All the information is pulled freshly off the web, so it has the most up-to-date details. "If you ask a question like, 'I'm looking for a midcentury modern furniture store where I want to get a dresser, and I'm looking for these particularities,' the model can take that into consideration, respond, find the best businesses for you, and then allow you to access right there all the richness of the information the businesses that we have really worked for years to build out," Esmaeilzadeh said. AI Mode will now have a new left-side panel that contains your past searches. This panel allows you to reference these searches later or return to the conversation with follow-up questions. "In AI Mode, people really are engaging in follow-ups, and they are coming to it from more of these long-running journeys or research journeys, so we want to really make it easy in the product for people to be able to reference back the work that they did to pick up where they've left off," Esmaeilzadeh said. Although it may seem like a basic feature, can you imagine a world where you never access your Google Search history? Similarly, accessing past conversations will be a valuable productivity tool. To access AI Mode, users typically go to Google Labs and sign up for the waitlist -- until now. If you want to try AI Mode for yourself, US users can now get immediate access. Visit Google Labs to get started. The feedback on AI Mode has been positive, with users reporting it to be helpful, according to Google. As a result, the company is expanding access through a limited test outside of Labs. A small percentage of US Google Search users will see the AI Mode tab on the Search page. Google says it will continue to use user feedback to enhance the model. Also: 5 easy Gemini settings tweaks to protect your privacy from AI Google took a similar rollout approach when it launched AI Overviews, the feature that populates an AI-generated summary at the top of your search results page. This experience eventually moved out of Labs and became a regular part of users' search results. If AI Mode reminds you of AI Overviews, that similarity is by design. AI Mode is meant to be more of an extension of the AI Overviews experience than a brand-new one, allowing users to ask follow-ups to the AI-powered responses and lean into searches that don't depend on keywords. Also: People are Googling fake sayings to see AI Overviews explain them - and it's hilarious Another major difference is that, unlike AI Overviews, which only populates AI responses when it deems relevant, AI Mode helps users predictably get AI-generated responses on demand. "Power users came to us and said, 'Hey, we enjoy this [AI Overviews], we want to have this more predictably,'" Esmaeilzadeh said. Although you could technically take the same approach with Gemini, Google does make a distinction. Gemini is meant to function more as an assistant that can co-work with you, whereas AI Mode should function first and foremost as an information-seeking platform. Also: Why I just added Gemini 2.5 Pro to the very short list of AI tools I pay for "Gemini 2.0 I really view as a personal assistant that is focused on a lot of your productivity, creativity tasks, whether it's writing or image generation or coding, in AI Mode, we live and breathe the search goal of making access to information effortless," Esmaeilzadeh added. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Google Drops AI Mode Waitlist, Adds Shopping Tools: Here's How to Try

Publishers may not appreciate this accelerated rollout of AI Mode. Two studies find that many people are getting information from Google's AI Overviews and not clicking through. Google seems anxious to get more people using its AI Mode search option. Weeks after opening it to more users, which itself came only a month after it invited paying users to test AI Mode, the company is dropping the waitlist to try out this conversational search option. You'll now only need to be signed into a personal Google account in the US and be at least 18 years old to enable this option via Google's Labs setting. Then you can invoke AI Mode by going to google.com/aimode or by typing a question into Google's regular search and clicking or tapping the "AI Mode" button below that. Should you get into the habit of using AI Mode, you'll be able to jump back to previous conversations and resume them in desktop browsers via a new left-hand panel showing those earlier interactions. And you'll now be able to use AI Mode to conduct local and shopping searches by chatting with this service. "With this update, you'll begin to see visual place and product cards in AI Mode with the ability to tap to get more details," says Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, director of product management for search. "For local spots, like restaurants, salons, and stores, you can quickly see info like ratings, reviews, and opening hours, and if you're looking for a product, you'll see shoppable options with real-time prices (including the latest promotions), images, shipping details and local inventory," the post reads. "This is all made possible by Google's trusted and up-to-date info about local businesses, and our Shopping Graph -- with over 45 billion product listings from stores in your neighborhood, online and around the world." We don't need to ask an AI chatbot to predict that Yelp is not going to appreciate this latest exercise in Google trying to eat its lunch. But many other publishers may not appreciate this accelerated rollout of AI Mode either. While Google has touted higher clickthroughs to sites from the AI Overview results that Google introduced last May, two recent third-party studies found the opposite. One published April 16 by the digital-marketing firm Amsive estimated a 15.49% decline in clickthrough rate for "keywords that now trigger AI Overviews." And April 17, the search-optimization firm AHREFS posted its own study in which it found a 34.5% drop in clickthrough rates for the top-ranking page with AI Overview present. The last part of Google's announcement may then leave web publishers feeling even more queasy: To gather feedback from people besides the search enthusiasts who have opted into AI Mode so far, Google will soon start showing the AI Mode tab to "a small percentage of people in the US" who haven't opted in via Labs.

Google prepares to start testing AI Mode with regular Search users

On desktop, the company is also adding a search history feature. When Google debuted AI Mode at the start of March, the company promised to work quickly on bringing the feature to more users, and now it's doing exactly. Following a smaller expansion last month, the company says AI Mode is now available to all Labs users, with no wait list in place to limit access. As a reminder, AI Mode is a new chatbot that Google has built directly into Search. Labs, meanwhile, is a program you can sign up for to try out new Search features before they're widely available. With today's expansion, Google is also updating AI Mode to add new visual cards that will appear when you ask the chatbot for information related to places and products. "For local spots, like restaurants, salons and stores, you can quickly see info like ratings, reviews, and opening hours, and if you're looking for a product, you'll see shoppable options with real-time prices (including the latest promotions), images, shipping details and local inventory," Google says of the new feature. On desktop, Google is also adding a search history tool, allowing users to revisit and continue previous conversations they've had with AI Mode. The idea here is to allow people to pick up on research they might have left unfinished. If you're not enrolled in Labs and live in the US, there's a chance you might see AI Mode appear in Search sometime in the coming weeks. Google says it's doing this because the response to the feature has been "incredibly positive," and it wants to collect additional feedback before a broader rollout.

Google Search AI Mode is ready to step into the spotlight

Now the waitlist is being eliminated in the US, so anyone interested can start testing. The past couple years have ushered in a whirlwind of progress for all things AI, and companies everywhere have been quick to embrace the new tools that affords. Google in particular has been trying to find a home for AI features across nearly all of its product offerings and that includes the granddaddy of them all, Search. While early efforts with AI Overviews could give results that were a little wonky, the company's new AI Mode has really started proving just how quickly things can improve, and it's already become a favorite of ours. Now Google shares the next steps for AI Mode.

Google's AI Mode Is Now Rolling Out Widely

Google is making its AI Mode search tool available to many more people, but it's also getting some upgrades. At first, AI Mode was only available through a waitlist in Google Labs, but now it is being offered to more people. The company said that the waitlist for U.S. users is being removed right away, so anyone can try AI Mode within Labs. You can check to see if it's available now on the official website. A small test is also happening where AI Mode will appear as its own tab in the main Google Search interface for a tiny percentage of U.S. users in the next few weeks. This slow rollout is meant to collect feedback from users and improve the tool before it is released to everyone. AI Mode works differently from regular search engines because it gives answers created by AI for complicated questions, instead of just showing a list of website links. Unlike Google's current AI Overviews, which give a summary between the search box and the web results, AI Mode acts more like a chatbot. Close This puts it in direct competition with other AI-powered search tools like Perplexity and OpenAI's ChatGPT search features, which also focus on AI answers instead of traditional links. However, Google says AI Mode is better because it can pull real-time web data and is connected to Google's huge search database, making its answers more accurate and up-to-date than other chatbots. One major upgrade is the new visual place and product cards in AI Mode. These cards will be available over the next week. Users can see ratings, reviews, and operating hours for local businesses like restaurants and stores. For products, users get real-time prices (including current deals), pictures, shipping details, and whether items are in stock nearby. This feature uses Google's Shopping Graph, a database with over 45 billion product listings that updates every hour, making sure product details are correct and current. This is a big improvement over normal searches, where users might have to click through multiple websites to find the same information. The Shopping Graph makes the experience smoother by putting all product details in one place, making it easier to compare options. Examples include finding the best vintage stores for mid-century modern furniture, complete with live updates on how busy they are, or searching for the perfect foldable camping chair within a certain price range and size. AI Mode is also built to handle longer, more detailed questions, making it easy to ask follow-up questions. Google knows that many searches are part of bigger tasks, so they added a new panel on the left side of the desktop version where users can quickly go back to past searches. This panel saves previous searches, including the AI responses, so users can keep researching with follow-up questions or adjust their search without starting over. This fixes a common frustration with regular searches, where important information can be scattered across different results and hard to find again. It will take a while to get to every user, but it seems like everyone will be able to use it soon. Source: Google

After shedding its One AI Premium exclusivity, Google's AI Mode drops its waitlist too

Summary Google's AI Mode in Search is now free and immediately accessible to all eligible users in the US, removing the previous waitlist requirement. New features have been added, including visual cards for products and places with detailed information, and a search history panel to easily return to past queries. Google is beginning a limited test showing the AI Mode tab directly within the main Search interface for a small group of users outside the Labs opt-in. Google introduced its AI Mode, an experimental feature integrated within Google Search, early in March this year. Powered by a bespoke version of Gemini 2.0, the new search experience aims to expand on AI Overviews with "more advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities." The tool can help users dig deeper than simple Google Search answers, allowing them to ask nuanced follow-up questions about the topic in a conversational manner. Related Google Search gets a new AI Mode built on a bespoke Gemini 2.0 version Page 2 search results are about to see a lot less action Posts 2 Initially limited to Google One AI Premium subscribers in the US that opt in via Search Labs, the tool became free-to-use within 20 days of launch. Users still needed to manually opt in via Search Labs, and they also had to join a waitlist to gain access to the feature. Fast-forward to today, in addition to the feature being free-for-all in the US, it is also now immediately accessible. Users still need to opt in to try out the feature, but there's no longer a waitlist. To opt in; Mobile Open the Google app on your smartphone. Tap the Labs button (flask icon) on the top-left. Navigate to the AI experiments section. Tap Turn on under AI Mode. Desktop Head to the Google Labs website. Under New experiments/AI experiments, turn on AI Mode. Get more done with AI Mode In addition to getting rid of the waitlist for new users, Google is making AI Mode more accessible for returning users as well. Similar to Gemini, AI mode now has a left-aligned panel that will highlight your previous searches, an addition that will prove especially useful for those researching for information for longer-running tasks and projects. Each topic will include the info that AI Mode already found for you, and you can ask follow-up questions or take your next steps. Source: Google Additionally, back during the feature's initial launch, Google promised that it would soon make the mode a lot more "visual." Well, that's happening now. Relevant AI Mode searches now feature images, location cards, and product cards, with the option to expand them for more information. Similar to the regular Search experience, if you're searching for physical locations like restaurants, stores, or akin, you'll be able to see information like ratings, reviews, and opening hours. Similarly, if you're using AI Mode to research products, "you'll see shoppable options with real-time prices (including the latest promotions), images, shipping details and local inventory." Close Lastly, a small subset of users (in the US) will start seeing the AI Mode tab in Search even if they haven't opted to try out the feature via Labs. This is likely Google's attempt at wider testing for when the feature (eventually and inevitably) makes its way to all users. These developments come soon after Google was spotted working on an AI Mode shortcut for the Google app Search widget, which will likely roll out widely with the tool's next 'feature drop.' Related The Google Search widget now lets you jump straight into AI Mode queries Fully commit to experimental AI Posts

Google's 'AI Mode' search is ready to replace a list of links

Google said Thursday that it has begun migrating its "AI Mode" out of its experimental Labs effort and into the real world. Google said that a "small percentage of people" in the "coming weeks" will see what Google calls AI Mode, or entirely AI-generated responses to queries that users ask. It's Google's response to services like Anthropic, which "answer" queries using AI, which slurps up and regurgitates answers that others have already provided. Google first began revamping its search algorithm in 2023, when it started aggregating AI-powered summaries of say, the best laptops. AI has been used elsewhere by Google services like Chrome to sum up web pages, as well. (The Department of Justice is attempting to break up Google, including spin off its Chrome browser, as punishment for forming what it calls an illegal monopoly.) Now, AI Mode is another attempt by Google to step in and interject its own results when users begin searching for a query. On a desktop PC, AI Mode places the source of Google's answer to the right, in several visual links. But the information that the user is searching for is culled into the left-hand column. While occasionally a site may be called out as a source for information, any links to the source of the content are left as tiny, monochrome "chainlinks" at the end of the individual summaries. At least for now, AI Mode doesn't provide a list of blue links or any sign of a traditional search page -- it's whatever Google itself has curated, and nothing more. The "clock" icon to the left reveals queries you've made before, so Google will understand your preference for a given topic. Unfortunately, Google doesn't really draw a visual distinction between a site that has spent hours testing products, and those which, well, haven't. You either have to simply trust Google's expertise, or visually hunt and track the link icon -- which is now about the size of the "X" buttons to close an annoying popup. Google obviously believes that you simply won't bother, which itself is probably just another depressing sign of the times.

Google AI Mode gets one-tap search, smooth iOS glow

Besides the widget shortcut, Google is making AI Mode faster to access with one-tap search on Android and iOS. Previously, launching AI Mode from the shortcut beneath the Search bar in the Google app or widget would bring you to an introductory homepage. You'd then have to touch the "Ask AI Mode" field before you could start typing. Opening AI Mode now immediately takes you to the input box with the keyboard open. The header just shows the 'G' logo (and close button), while the suggested queries carousel disappears after you enter text for a minimalist look. With the previous homepage no longer available, you cannot quickly access conversation history. Google tells us to soon expect direct access from the text field. Old vs. new One-tap AI Mode access is live on both Google for Android and iOS. On the latter platform, Google has introduced a very slick animation. Tapping the AI Mode button will expand the usual Search field to encompass your entire screen as the keyboard pops up. As this occurs, there's a four-color glow around the expanding perimeter that looks very nice. It fades out just as everything settles, while closing AI Mode also results in a visual effect. There's no equivalent animation on Android right now, but there are other colorful touches. This follows Google dropping the Labs waitlist for AI Mode yesterday, while redesigning the desktop UI with quick access to history via a side panel and adding more visual elements for places and products. Google Lens search on mobile was introduced last month.

Google AI Mode drops Labs waitlist, updates desktop UI, and more

After adding multimodal Lens search on Android and iOS last month, Google is updating AI Mode with more features while dropping the US waitlist for immediate sign-up. AI Mode is adding place (listing) and product cards. The latter will surface "shoppable options" with images, real-time prices, any available promotions, shipping details and local inventory. If you're comparing products after detailing what you're looking for (like "best foldable camping chair that would fit in a backpack for under $100"), AI Mode will show a "comprehensive breakdown of recommended products that fit your budget, along with product details and links to retailers." This is powered by Google's Shopping Graph. Stores, restaurants, salons, and more will show the address, ratings, reviews, opening hours, and more, just like Search. As we previously spotted, AI Mode on the web now has a left-side panel to see past search conversations. It opens inline, which is convenient for your "longer-running tasks and projects." At launch in March, AI Mode was exclusive to Google One AI Premium subscribers. After expanding the waitlist to free users last month, Google is now letting anyone in the US immediately access the Labs experiment after joining. Additionally, Google will soon start showing the "AI Mode" filter to users that aren't enrolled as part of a "limited test."

Google Rolling Out New AI Mode Tab for Search

Google today announced that it is starting to roll out a dedicated AI Mode tab for Google Search. A "small percentage" of people in the United States will start seeing the AI Mode option "in the coming weeks." AI Mode is a feature that Google has been testing with its Labs feature. It is a dedicated search option like News, Images, and Shopping, providing AI answers to queries directly in the search interface. AI Mode uses Gemini 2.0, Google's core AI model. In addition to starting to roll out AI Mode as a standard search feature, Google is bringing the AI Mode option to all U.S. users who want to try it through Google Labs. The new AI Mode experiment in Search uses advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities from Gemini to help with even your toughest questions. You can ask whatever's on your mind and get an AI-powered response with the ability to explore further with follow-up questions and helpful web links. AI Mode does the heavy lifting for you, intelligently organizing information and gives you easy-to-digest breakdowns. AI Mode is similar to the AI summaries that Google provides for standard searches, but it cuts out typical search results entirely, providing only an AI-based answer that's pulled from different websites and data on the web. Google is bolstering AI Mode with visual place and product cards that offer an option to tap to get more information. For restaurants, salons, and stores, these cards will provide information like ratings, reviews, hours, and store inventory. There's also now a dedicated left-side panel that includes an AI history for returning to past searches for follow-up questions. Separately, Google has also started testing ads for some third-party AI assistants. According to Bloomberg, Google's AdSense network is running ads in some chatbot conversations, and Google confirmed that AdSense for Search is available for websites that want to show ads in their conversational AI experiences.

Google's new AI upgrade lets you search without typing -- and it's rolling out now

Google is rolling out big updates to AI Mode in an effort to help users turn their searches into action. This is no doubt a direct response to OpenAI launching updates to ChatGPT with a shopping feature earlier this week. Previously only available to users on a waitlist, AI Mode in Labs is now open to everyone in the U.S., allowing users to interact with Google Search in a more conversational, personalized way. According to Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, Director of Product Management for Search, millions of people are already using AI Mode to ask complex questions, refine queries with follow-ups, and discover new businesses and products along the way. AI Mode now features visual cards for local businesses. That means you'll now see ratings, reviews, real-time prices, photos, inventory updates, and more directly within your AI-generated results. For instance, if you're planning a weekend getaway and need a foldable camping chair under $100 that fits in a backpack -- AI Mode will surface specific product suggestions that match your criteria, complete with links to retailers and real-time availability. Powered by Google's Shopping Graph, which updates over 2 billion product listings per hour from more than 45 billion total listings -- including inventory from local stores and global online retailers, this updated feature underscores Google's commitment to lean further into decision-based searches especially when it comes to finding shoppable product listings and places like restaurants, salons, and local businesses. One of the most practical upgrades is the ability to resume your past searches. Now, a new panel on desktop allows you to revisit your search sessions, showing the information previously gathered along with the option to ask follow-up questions. For users working on ongoing projects or multi-step decisions, there's no need to start from scratch every time. In another notable move, Google is beginning a limited test of AI Mode directly in standard Search. A small percentage of U.S. users will begin seeing an "AI Mode" tab on Google Search in the coming weeks. While the broader experiment is still housed in Labs, this expansion hints that Google may be moving toward integrating generative AI more deeply into its core search product. AI Mode is available via Search Labs on desktop and mobile, and the best experience is through the Google app on iOS and Android. There, you'll also be able to ask multimodal questions -- meaning you can use text, voice, or even images to search interactively. For example, if you have a picture of a sweater you saw on a celebrity, you can share the image with Google to discover where to buy it. Or, for hands-free search, just use your voice to search for what you need. To try it yourself, just head here and look for AI Mode. Whether you're planning a vacation, researching a big purchase, or just want smarter answers, this new mode of searching may become your go-to.

I've tried Google's new AI Mode and now you can too - here are 3 tips for getting more from Google's new free AI search tool

Google's AI Mode is no longer just an experimental part of Google Search. Anyone in the U.S. enrolled in Google Labs can now try out the new tab in Google search and see how Google's AI can break down complex topics, compare options, and suggest follow-ups. Google also says that it is starting a limited test outside of Labs, so in the coming weeks, a small percentage of people in the U.S. will start to see the AI Mode tab appearing in Search. I've been using AI Mode for a while now during the beta testing, and it is a very different experience from the traditional Google Search and goes well beyond the paragraph AI Overview that everyone sees. AI Mode fires off multiple related questions for each query. So, the results are based on multiple answers from the mini AI agents. It's sort of halfway between using Gemini and using Search, with some idiosyncrasies of its own thrown in. Though it's fairly intuitive, I've come up with some handy shortcuts for how to use it and avoid any pitfalls for those keen to widen their search horizons using AI Mode. For one thing, it is better to envision AI Mode as a conversational tool rather than a search engine that only needs some keywords to start listing website links. The more specificity and nuance, the better, and it often seems to respond better to conversational phrasing. It's a little more work to begin with, but it saves a lot of time overall. For instance, I've often typed "best pizza NYC" into Google and then attempted to sort through all the results for my more specific requirements. In AI mode, I can jump straight to asking the full question like "What's the best thin-crust pizza spot in Manhattan that delivers late and has vegetarian options?" I soon had a list of pizza places that met my specific needs, complete with hours, reviews, and even direct ordering links. The more details you give, the better the output. Want to plan a road trip? Don't just ask for "scenic stops in California." Try: "I'm driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles over three days. What are some scenic and unusual stops along the way, including places to stay?" You'll see a suggested route, quirky roadside attractions, and hotel options that didn't look like crime scenes. The model is smart enough to handle complexity, so give it the context and phrasing you'd use with a person. One notable element of AI Mode is the cards for products and places that the AI inserts to go along with your answers. Though they look like ads, they (mostly) aren't. Instead, they offer AI Overview style summaries along with real-time information about things like price and how busy a store is. Say you ask Google in AI Mode to find you a standing desk under $300. You'll get a written-out answer with suggestions, followed by several colorful cards. When you roll your cursor over a card, you'll get prices, reviews, and availability. The same goes for local recommendations. I asked for a good tailor in my neighborhood and got a list of local places with star ratings, hours, and whether they were open right now. One even had a card with a map, phone number, and the option to book an appointment online. Sometimes it over-promises (thanks, Google, but that sushi place closed in 2020), but when it works, it's very convenient. AI Mode can also look at your own photos as part of your search, at least if you use your smartphone. And you'll get much more detailed answers than you would by using reverse image search. Take a picture of someone on a TV show, a weird plant in your yard, or even your own clothing, and you'll get answers, links, and even YouTube videos explaining things. The multimodal capability isn't just a party trick. It's genuinely useful when you don't feel like typing, don't know what something is called, or just need to show rather than tell. I've used it to identify a colorful plant I saw on a recent walk. I snapped a picture, uploaded it to Search, and let AI Mode do the Sherlock Holmes bit. Within seconds, it had identified the plant, told me it wasn't poisonous (phew), and even offered tips on whether it was worth keeping (only if I wanted raccoons, apparently.) I've also used it with screenshots. In AI Mode, I uploaded a picture of a cool shirt I saw on Instagram, and the AI not only found it but also listed places to buy it on sale. AI Mode isn't perfect. It's prone to the same issues as any AI chatbot or Google Search. Sometimes it feels a little too eager to upsell you something, for instance. But, it's a nice enhancement of the standard Google Search and a good alternative if you find Gemini too limiting.

Google makes AI Mode search experiment available for everyone to try

AI Mode in Google Search is one step closer to public launch now that the waitlist has been removed for U.S. users. In an announcement on Thursday, Google shared that all users over 18 years old can now opt in to trying out AI Mode in Labs, the company's testing ground for new AI features. Google calls AI mode a "new Search experiment that uses advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities to answer even your toughest questions." Google also shared that it's introducing "product and place cards" within the responses for up-to-date information, including images, ratings, reviews, store hours, and availability. For the uninitiated, AI Mode is Google's search feature that combines the Gemini chatbot experience with search results. The feature integrates Gemini's reasoning capabilities with Google's traditional search engine algorithm. It processes search queries by breaking down the question, scanning the web, and summarizing its findings. "What we've done is that we've taught the model how to use Google," Robby Stein, Google's VP of product for Google Search, told Mashable in an interview. The introduction of AI Mode is just one of the many ways Google is injecting AI features into its search engine. AI Mode is different from AI Overviews, which provides an AI-generated summary at the top of the search page. Instead, AI Mode looks more like the standalone Gemini app interface where can ask follow-up questions, but with real-time search results in a sidebar. "People want more control and an ability to say, 'I have a pretty complicated, specific thing in mind... like comparing, four or five different products that don't even exist in any single place,'" said Stein, "and they really want the power of AI to help them with more of their needs." AI Overviews, which launched almost exactly a year ago, is the most prominent change to the traditional search results format. And its controversies are well documented at this point. There are hallucinations and errors, as well as polarized reactions from users who find the feature annoying, especially since it can't be turned off. Many publishers are also concerned about how it's affecting their traffic. By summarizing the contents of webpages within Google itself, many websites are seeing fewer visitors. But according to Google's Q1 earnings report, AI Overviews now has 1.5 billion monthly users. We asked Stein if that's because users are served AI Overviews by default, and Stein clarified that Google doesn't measure use by whether AI Overviews simply appear on the page. "It's based on our view that the user, read it, interacted with it, engaged with it, in some way." When the conversation turned to Google's responsibility to publishers, Stein said "having a thriving web is in everyone's best interest, it's important to Google, it's important to our users, important to publishers." He also shared thoughts on how the new AI Mode can lead to user experiences that never would have involved publishers in the first place. "I also think that this is an expansionary moment where what we're seeing is that these are kinds of questions that the people were not commonly asking of Google, because now you can ask really anything." Stein gave the example of uploading a picture of something wrong with his bathroom tile to AI Mode, which "diagnosed" the issue and shared links to local businesses. When asked whether Google has seen a decrease in visits to publishers, as some surveys and individual publishers have noticed, Stein said they haven't seen a change in clicks out to the wider web. "For any individual publisher, there's lots of reasons why something could fluctuate," he said. "We don't really look at specific publishers in that way. We think about it really in the aggregate." As of May 1, interested users in the U.S. can start searching with AI Mode. To use the experimental tool, you will need to turn on your web search history in your Google account.

You can now interact with Google's AI Mode in search results

Google has been working on adding more AI features to its Search feature, and now an integrated AI Mode is being rolled out to the public. Different from the AI Overview function that Google has included as a default part of Search since last year, the AI Mode is a chatbot which users can interact with as part of their search results. AI Mode has previously only been available as a Google Labs experiment, but now Google says that it will be coming to search for "a small percentage of people" in the U.S. over the coming weeks. Those who are part of the test will see an "AI Mode" tab in Search, and clicking on it will bring up information related to your search from the chatbot. Recommended Videos "For example, if you're looking for the best vintage shops for mid-century modern furniture, AI Mode will show local stores along with helpful insights like live busyness, and you can easily call or get directions," Google explains. If you aren't included in the Search rollout, you can still try out AI Mode if you are a Google Labs user, as the waitlist for the feature has been removed and it is now available to anyone in the U.S. The idea of AI Mode is that users can ask more open ended or exploratory questions, such as comparing the advantages of various types of fibers for jacket, or what kinds of tools and equipment you need to get started with particular hobbies. As well as giving you that information, the AI Mode can then offer follow up help like pointing you to a store where you could buy your preferred jacket or hobby supplies. You can also interact with the chatbot in a more natural, conversational way, rather than the keyword-based searches that most people are used to performing in Google Search. And a new feature of AI Mode is that it will remember your previous searches and the information it provided for you, so you can refer back to previous sessions. As with most AI tools, there are concerns about the accuracy of information provided through chatbots. However, Google claims that AI Mode has the benefit of real-time access to information and that it draws from multiple data sources to help it provide more accurate answers. Please enable Javascript to view this content

New ways to interact with information in AI Mode

Try AI Mode Check out our experimental features in Google Labs today. Test it now Millions of people are using AI Mode in Labs to search in new ways -- asking longer, harder questions, using follow-up questions to hone in on what they really want to know, and discovering new websites and businesses along the way. With AI Mode, you can truly ask Search anything -- from complex explanations about tech and electronics to comparisons that help with really specific tasks, like assessing insurance options for a new pet. Based on the incredibly positive feedback we're getting, we're removing the waitlist so anyone in the U.S. can now get immediate access to AI Mode in Labs -- and we're adding new features to help you get things done. Head over to Labs to try AI Mode now. AI Mode already lets you ask detailed or nuanced questions about places and products, and now we're making it easier to take the next step. So whether you're looking for a new dinner spot or the must-have items for your next trip, you'll get rich, reliable information in AI Mode to help you confidently make a decision or take action. Rolling out over the coming week, you'll begin to see visual place and product cards in AI Mode with the ability to tap to get more details. For local spots, like restaurants, salons and stores, you can quickly see info like ratings, reviews, and opening hours, and if you're looking for a product, you'll see shoppable options with real-time prices (including the latest promotions), images, shipping details and local inventory. For example, if you're looking for the best vintage shops for mid-century modern furniture, AI Mode will show local stores along with helpful insights like live busyness, and you can easily call or get directions.

Google's AI Mode in search just got more useful and accessible - SiliconANGLE

Google's AI Mode in search just got more useful and accessible Google LLC updated AI Mode today, the company's newest artificial intelligence feature for search that promises to help users with more personalized answers and make it accessible to everyone. The company introduced AI Mode in March. It's an AI chatbot that allows users to enter search queries. While similar to AI Overviews, the summarized versions of searches that appear atop Google Search, it instead provides an extensive conversational and in-depth review of user search criteria. AI Mode uses Google's advanced AI models, like Gemini, to comprehend complex questions and provide clear, organized information from search results. It offers not only links but also summaries and breakdowns from the sources it finds, along with context and related images. Users can also ask follow-up questions to refine the search and revisit previous queries creating a conversational experience. The capability already allows users to search and learn about any topic; now it has been updated with a visual space and product cards that can be clicked for more information. For example, users can search for "best mechanical keyboard 2025" and it will list potential keyboards on the market on the right alongside product information with links. The user can even refine the search to a single keyboard or ask about multiple to see places to buy and compare real-time prices (including the latest promotions). When searching for locations or restaurants, it will similarly show locations on the side along with clickable images that open to web pages that provide additional information. "This is all made possible by Google's trusted and up-to-date info about local businesses, and our Shopping Graph -- with over 45 billion product listings from stores in your neighborhood, online and around the world," Google said in its announcement. The left side has received an update that has added an "AI Mode history" tab that allows users to revisit their previous AI mode queries. So that they can revisit their previous searches including the full context. Previously, users had to go to Google Labs and sign up for a waitlist to gain access to AI Mode. As of today, users in the United States can get immediate access to AI Mode via Google Labs. Google announced it is expanding the AI Mode test due to positive feedback. The company plans to continue rolling it out to users in the U.S., with a small percentage of them seeing it appear as a tab on their Search page. A similar rollout was previously conducted for AI Overviews.

Google's AI Mode Keeps Getting Better

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. The new AI Mode that Google introduced to Search back in March appears to be some kind of a hit. Since being first released as a Labs experiment, Google can't stop talking about how many millions of people are finding it useful and using it regularly. Because of this early popularity and adoption, they are hyper-focused on improving it with new features and making it available to new people. Today, Google announced that the waitlist for access to AI Mode in Labs is now gone. If you want to use AI Mode, you can simply head into Labs (here) and turn it on to use it right away. And for some users, Google is just going to turn it on outside of Labs in a limited test. That test should start in the coming weeks. As for new features, on desktop, AI Mode now has a left-side tab that will let you start new queries or see history in order to jump back in to previous research. I'd imagine will see some implementation of this on mobile before long, but for now you'll find it on desktop only. Google is also introducing rich product and place cards, giving you easy-to-read images, ratings and reviews, store hours for businesses, real-time pricing, etc. You'll even find a map if there are multiple listings and you searched for places. Google is pulling from its Shopping Graph to bring in this info.

Google AI Mode Now Open to Everyone - Phandroid

Google is opening the floodgates on AI Mode, the experimental feature in Labs that builds on the company's AI Overviews in Search. Starting today, anyone in the US aged 18 or older can access AI Mode instantly without a waitlist, offering a more powerful, flexible way to ask questions and explore information online. AI Mode is built to handle questions that go beyond your typical search -- the kind you'd typically ask a friend or type out in a forum. You can get specific, ask follow-ups, and dig deeper into topics without starting over each time. Whether you're trying to figure out the best insurance for your new pet or hunting for a camping chair that fits in your backpack and budget, AI Mode gives you solid, tailored results -- not just a pile of links. This new rollout is part of Google's broader AI search strategy. In a recent update, AI Mode introduced multimodal search, allowing users to combine text, images, and voice into a single query for more natural and intuitive results. This is especially handy for mobile users with the Google app. Google's also making things more useful at a glance. If you're looking up a local restaurant or store, you'll now see cards with reviews, hours, photos, and even how busy it is in real time. Shopping results are getting an upgrade too -- you'll see live prices, promotions, and local availability, pulled straight from Google's Shopping Graph. To help users stay on task, AI Mode also adds a new left-side desktop panel that stores your recent searches so you can revisit and continue projects seamlessly. While still labeled as an experiment, Google has started testing an AI Mode tab in regular Search for a small percentage of users. You can try it now via Google Labs.

AI Mode in Google Search Will Now Show Your Past Searches

Google first launched AI Mode in March AI Mode is an expansion of Google's AI Overviews AI Mode will now show visual place and product cards Google announced an expansion of its AI Mode feature in Search, alongside new features, on Thursday. The Mountain View-based tech giant first released this artificial intelligence (AI) search mode in March, making it available to Google One AI Premium subscribers in the US on a very limited basis. Later, the company expanded the feature to all Google Labs users in the country, with a waitlist. However, it is now lifting these restrictions and making the search mode widely available to all users in the US. The company says that all users in the US will get immediate access to AI Mode once they opt in for the experimental feature via Labs. This means users in the country will not have to sign up and then wait to be approved. However, the feature is still not available outside the US, and there is no word on when the company will begin expanding the AI-powered search mode globally. Google also announced two new features in AI Mode. The first feature is an enhancement of the existing Shopping Graph that shows a comprehensive breakdown of information when users are looking for a product or a local business. Starting next week, those with access to AI Mode will begin seeing visual place and product cards when searching for the same. Google says when users search for restaurants, stores, and salons, they will see a list of options followed by information such as ratings, reviews, and opening hours. When looking for a product, users will also see information such as real-time prices, any available discounts, images, shipping details, as well as local inventory. Even if users vaguely refer to products or add a complex request, AI Mode will be able to find relevant information, the company said. For instance, if a user asked for "the best foldable camping chair that would fit in a backpack for under Rs. 5,000," the AI Mode will provide a breakdown of recommended products in the budget, along with details and links to retailers. Google did not disclose whether it will get a commission from businesses for these suggestions. Apart from this, the AI Mode will also save past searches for desktop users, allowing them to go back to a particular conversation and continue with follow-up queries. Google is adding a new left-side panel which will quickly open all past searches in chronological order.

AI Mode in Google Search is Rolling Out to More Users

AI Mode is different from AI Overviews, as you can ask descriptive questions and follow up to explore further. Google has developed a dedicated 'AI Mode' for Google Search that works just like Perplexity. It allows you to ask open-ended questions in Search and follow up with additional questions to explore topics further. This dedicated AI mode in Google Search is now widely rolling out in the US for free. Google has removed the waitlist for this feature. AI Mode is powered by a custom version of the Gemini 2.0 model, and it's different from AI Overviews. AI Overviews mostly summarize webpages, whereas AI Mode grounds Gemini with web results to offer a tailored response. In addition, you can ask follow-up questions in AI Mode, which is not available in AI Overviews. The biggest change to Google Search's UI is that AI Mode has a new tab and it's available in the first position, besides the "All" tab. Currently, the "All" tab is the default Search page, but in the future, Google may change the default search page to "AI Mode". You can head to labs.google.com/search/aimode and enable AI mode for free. In addition, Google is rolling out product cards in AI Mode, most likely to compete with ChatGPT Shopping, which was unveiled recently. With competition from ChatGPT Search and Perplexity, Google is now embracing AI for web search results.