Google Expands AI Mode in Search to India, Introducing Advanced Query Capabilities

Google introduces AI mode to users in India | TechCrunch

Google introduced its AI mode, a Q&A-style search tool, to users in India today. The company said that this tool is still in the experimental stage and users will need to opt in to it through Search Labs. Once a user has opted in, they can ask queries in English. Google didn't specify whether it plans to support local languages or when that might be available. Users can search for answers to complex, multi-part queries such as "My kids are 4 and 7 and have lots of energy. Suggest creative ways to get them active and moving indoors, especially on hot days, without needing a lot of space or expensive toys." Additionally, users can ask follow-up questions to refine results. Google started testing AI mode with premium subscribers in the U.S. earlier this year. The company then started broadly rolling out the feature to all U.S. users after its Google IO event. Over time, the company has added a shopping feature, introduced voice and image search support, and also introduced ads. The company said that voice and image search features are supported for users in India, given that voice is a popular mode for search. It added that the AI mode is powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5. The company also noted that early testers of the AI mode are asking 2-3x longer queries.

Google AI Mode comes to India in first international expansion

Since the March announcement, AI Mode has only been available in the US, but Google is now bringing it to India. This is the first international expansion of the AI search experience. It follows the wide US launch at I/O 2025 last month. AI Mode is currently powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5. It leverages a query fan-out technique that "breaks your question into subtopics and issues a multitude of queries simultaneously on your behalf." The response surfaces what links were used to answer the question. Besides the web, AI Mode leverages "fresh, real-time sources like the Knowledge Graph, info about the real world, and shopping data for billions of products." After getting a response, you can ask follow-up questions. Compared to AI Overviews, Google says AI Mode offers "more advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities." Besides being able to enter longer text prompts (with queries that are 2-3x the length of traditional searches), AI Mode supports voice input with a neat waveform, and adding images using Google Lens to your question. This multimodal experience is available in the Google app for Android and iOS. To directly use AI Mode, you can tap a new shortcut in the Search bar (as seen in the cover image above), while it's also available at google.com/aimode on the web. "What's this plant and give me instructions on how to repot and take care of it." AI Mode will grasp the visual details, identify the plant, and provide a detailed, step-by-step response, complete with links to articles. You could also follow up with questions like, "Where should I place it in my home for best growth?" When on the usual Search results page, "AI Mode" appears as a new filter to the left of "All," "Images," "News," etc. There's also a shortcut to launch AI Mode at the bottom of AI Overviews. Starting today, users in India can sign-up for Google AI Mode in English via the Search Labs experiment.

Google Rolls Out AI Mode in India for Complex Search Queries | AIM

The new experience uses a customised version of Gemini 2.5, enabling users to ask longer, layered questions. Google has launched its experimental AI Mode in India through its Labs platform, allowing users to ask complex, multi-part questions directly in Search. This feature builds on its earlier trial in the U.S. and integrates Google's most advanced AI capabilities with its existing search infrastructure. The new experience uses a customised version of Gemini 2.5, enabling users to ask longer, layered questions. According to Google, testers are already using queries that are two to three times longer than traditional ones. Users can follow up with additional questions and get links to related web content. "AI Mode is built for your most complex questions," said the company in its official announcement. "It uses advanced reasoning and multimodality to help you dig deeper into topics, including through voice and image input." The tool breaks down queries into subtopics and issues multiple searches at once -- a method Google refers to as query fan-out. This helps the system retrieve more targeted content from across the web. For example, a user could upload a photo of a plant and ask how to care for it. AI Mode will identify the plant and respond with detailed instructions, including relevant web links. The launch also reflects growing user interest in AI-driven search. According to Google, AI Overviews, an earlier AI-based search feature, is used by more than 1.5 billion users every month. In markets like the U.S. and India, Google has seen a more than 10% increase in usage for query types where AI Overviews are enabled. "With AI Mode, users can now search using voice, images, or text," said the company. "This is especially relevant in India, where more people use Google Lens each month than anywhere else in the world." AI Mode is designed to blend AI-generated responses with Google's ranking systems. If the system lacks high confidence in a response, it defaults to showing standard web results. "As with any early-stage AI product, we won't always get it right," Google noted. "Launching this in Labs helps us gather feedback and improve." AI Mode is currently available in English and requires users in India to sign up through Google Labs.

Gemini-powered AI mode hits Search Labs in India

Google launched its experimental AI mode, a Q&A-style search tool, for users in India requiring opt-in via Search Labs for English queries. The AI mode functions as a question-and-answer style search tool, allowing users to pose complex, multi-part queries. An example query provided is: "My kids are 4 and 7 and have lots of energy. Suggest creative ways to get them active and moving indoors, especially on hot days, without needing a lot of space or expensive toys." Users can also ask follow-up questions to refine the initial results provided by the system. Google has not specified any timelines for potential support of local languages within this feature. Google commenced testing of its AI mode with premium subscribers in the United States earlier in 2025. Following the Google IO event, the company initiated a broader rollout of the feature to all users in the United States. Over time, Google incorporated a shopping feature into the AI mode. The company also introduced support for voice and image search functionalities, and advertising content was integrated into the AI mode experience. Google now talks back with Search Live For users in India, voice and image search features are supported within the AI mode. This inclusion is based on Google's observation that voice serves as a popular mode for search queries in the region. The AI mode is powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5. Google has noted that early testers of the AI mode are submitting queries that are two to three times longer than typical search queries. India represents a significant market for Google, with over 870 million internet users. This market also functions as a testing ground for Google to analyze how multilingual users interact with its various products. Despite Google maintaining a dominant market share in the search sector, there has been an observed increase in the use of chat-based AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, in daily user routines. Google's introduction of AI mode aims to provide an alternative for users who prefer an interface similar to these conversational AI tools. Alongside the AI mode, Google has been promoting other AI-driven products in its search offerings, including AI overviews. These overviews summarize search query results for users. In April 2025, Google stated that more than 1.5 billion individuals globally were utilizing AI overviews. Earlier in June 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google's AI features were negatively affecting publishers, noting that these publishers had experienced declines in traffic originating from organic search.

Google Brings AI Mode in Search to India, Supports Voice and Image Inputs

The feature was first unveiled in March to select users in the US Google is expanding AI Mode in Google Search to India, making it the feature's first international expansion. The Mountain View-based tech giant first unveiled the artificial intelligence (AI)-based search experience in March to select users in the US, and it was expanded to all US-based users in May at the Google I/O. This version of AI Mode lacks some features, such as the two-way real-time voice conversation experience, dubbed Search Live. However, Indian users will get to use the feature integrated in Google Lens and make image-based queries. In a blog post, the tech giant announced the rollout of the AI feature. Currently, it is available as part of Search Labs, which hosts experimental features for Google Search. Once users have registered for it, they can turn on AI Mode from the website. After activating, users can find the new AI Mode underneath the search box on the results page. It is now part of different sections, and is placed on the left-most side, before the All and News sections. Google highlighted that AI Mode is powered by a custom version of the Gemini 2.5 large language model (LLM), and it comes with native thinking (reasoning) capability. This means that the feature will automatically use more compute to find responses for complex queries. Notably, the feature uses the company's query fan-out technique, which lets AI Mode break down queries into subtopics and run multiple simultaneous searches for each of them. AI Mode is currently available on both the website view on desktops, as well as via the Google app. Additionally, users can also click a picture of an object via Google Lens and then redirect that image via AI Mode to get a more comprehensive answer. The Search tool also supports voice as input, and users can speak their queries aloud instead of typing them. Separately, a 9to5Google report mentioned that the US version of the feature is now getting an upgrade. Google is reportedly suggesting AI Mode users prompts based on their Search history. This means users will now see prompt suggestions based on the topics they have looked up recently, making these prompts more relevant. These prompts are said to refresh every time a user visits the "Meet AI Mode" page via the Google app, Search widget, or the Pixel Launcher shortcuts.

Google launches Advanced AI Search in India through Labs

Google on Tuesday added an AI mode feature to India as an experiment in Labs in English. This feature will provide more advanced reasoning and multimodality, as well as the ability to go deeper through follow-up questions and helpful links to the web.Google added an AI mode feature to India on Tuesday as an experiment in Labs in English. This feature will provide more advanced reasoning and multimodality, as well as the ability to go deeper through follow-up questions and helpful links to the web. "Using a custom version of Gemini 2.5 lets you ask longer, more complex or nuanced questions that would have previously required multiple searches," Google said. Early tester of this AI mode lets you ask much longer queries, two to three times the length of traditional searches. This would be helpful for exploratory questions and for more complicated tasks like comparing products, planning a trip, or understanding complex how-tos. This AI mode feature is multimodal, which means that one can speak their question or even snap a photo to raise a query. Google believes this launch is part of its long-term vision to make finding and accessing information even more effortless in Search. It further adds that this would help people to turn to Google Search to tackle increasingly complex and nuanced questions. "AI Overviews, now used by over 1.5 billion users monthly, is a testament to this evolution. In our biggest markets like the U.S. and India, it's already driving a more than 10% increase in usage for the types of queries where they appear," Google said. "This implies that once people use AI Overviews, they're coming to do more of these types of queries, and what's particularly exciting is how this growth increases over time," Google added. To access the feature, one must sign up for Labs and try out the AI Mode in Google Search. "We aim to show an AI-powered response as much as possible, but in cases where we don't have high confidence, you will see a set of web search results," Google added.

Google Brings AI Mode Search Experience To India

Strengthening its position in India's booming artificial intelligence market, Google has now announced the launch of its AI Mode in the country . The feature will allow users to ask longer questions and is designed to better handle exploratory queries and more complicated tasks, Google said in a blog post. Besides, it will also allow voice-based and photo-based search for Indian users. Earlier this year, Google piloted this advanced search feature in the US, to analyse user feedback. Later, the feature was rolled out for the attendees of Google I/O 2025, Google's flagship annual conference. As per the company, the users are appreciating AI Mode for its speed, quality and fresh responses. "Following this positive feedback, we're excited to bring AI Mode to India, starting today, as an experiment in labs in English. This approach allows us to learn what's most helpful to our users here and improve rapidly with your feedback," the blog post added.

Google AI Mode now available for multimodal search in India

Google has officially launched AI Mode in India today as an experimental feature accessible through Google Labs in English. This follows its initial debut as a U.S. experiment earlier in 2025 and its wider rollout outside Labs during Google I/O 2025. AI Mode enhances Google Search by combining powerful AI capabilities based on a customized Gemini 2.5 model. It enables users to ask longer, more complex, and nuanced questions in a single query -- questions that previously would have required multiple searches. The system breaks down these questions into subtopics using a query fan-out technique, simultaneously searching multiple web sources. This approach delivers highly relevant content, including links to fresh, real-time data from Google's Knowledge Graph and shopping databases. Early users have submitted queries that are 2 to 3 times longer than typical searches, particularly for tasks such as product comparisons, trip planning, or detailed how-to instructions. Hema Budaraju explains that, with India at the forefront of Google Lens use, AI Mode supports voice, text, and image inputs, allowing users to interact through: Hema Budaraju, Vice President of Product Management at Google Search, noted that AI Mode reflects the company's commitment to making information more accessible and easier to explore. AI Overviews, an existing feature powered by Google AI, currently serves over 1.5 billion users monthly and has increased search engagement by over 10% in markets including India and the U.S. AI Mode builds on these advancements by adding deeper reasoning and multimodal capabilities, allowing users to get more comprehensive and precise answers. Hema Budaraju shared that AI Mode is backed by Google's ranking models for accurate output. When unsure, it switches to standard search results. She stressed it's still experimental and will improve with ongoing input from users. From today, users in India can try AI Mode in English by joining Google Labs via the Google Search app on Android and iOS.

Google Rolls Out AI Mode in India with Gemini 2.5, Voice and Image Searches

Indian users can now access Google's AI-powered search mode with voice and image input, powered by Gemini 2.5 Google has launched its AI experiment for users in India, enabling them to search differently with a new search method. The feature is available to all users in Search Lab and can be toggled on or off. Once activated, users can ask multi-part questions and receive detailed answers. The tool also encourages follow-up questions, allowing users to edit responses in a chat-like manner. Google currently does not support regional Indian languages or indicate when they will be available. The feature was initially tested as a trial on premium users in the U.S. earlier this year, but it began rolling out to all U.S. users after Google I/O. Gradually, Google added , purchasing features, and advertisements to the AI mode. Voice and picture capabilities are available in the Indian rollout, where the country prefers voice input.

Google AI Mode is now available to select users in India: Here's what it can do and how to use it

Google says user queries are now 2-3x longer, especially for tasks like comparisons and planning. Google has finally introduced the AI Mode to select users in the Indian market. Showcased at the Google IO 2025, the new experimental feature was first available in the US and now can be accessed via Search Labs in English language India. The new AI mode is powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5 and aims to cater complex, multi-layered queries using advanced reasoning, multimodality, and deep web exploration. As per Google, early adopters of AI Mode have shown a shift in behaviour, submitting queries that are 2-3x longer than traditional search terms, especially for tasks like product comparisons, travel planning, and educational how-tos. Speaking of India, the tech giant aims to position it as a response to increasing demand for voice and image based interactions, given that Google Lens has seen its highest ever usage in the country. "This launch is part of our long-term vision to make finding and accessing information even more effortless on Search. With our latest advancements in AI, we've seen people turn to Google Search to tackle increasingly complex and nuanced questions," the company stated in its blog post. READ: Google adds ChatGPT-like AI Mode to Search: How it will work For the unversed, the tool supports multimodal inputs, allowing users to type, speak or upload images to ask questions. For example, the users can photograph an object, such as a plant, and ask for tips like how to take care of it or even use voice commands to get more information. It is worth noting that AI Mode is still in early stages and will only be available in India via Search Labs. Users can enable it via the Google app on Android or iOS, though a broader rollout timeline has not been confirmed. To enable AI Mode in India, users need to open the Google app on their Android or iOS device. Once inside the app, they should tap on their profile picture in the top right corner and navigate to the "Search Labs" section. Within Search Labs, they can locate the option for AI Mode, toggle it on, and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup. As with similar experimental features, the company has said it will continue to iterate based on user feedback. However, the company has not confirmed the timeline for a full-scale rollout.