Google has begun introducing a new ‘AI Mode’ for its search engine, offering users a more conversational, AI-driven experience. The feature will initially be available to a small group of users in the United States over the coming weeks.
The new mode operates as a standalone tab—similar to existing categories like News or Images—and is designed to generate direct AI responses to search queries. It is powered by Google’s Gemini 2.0 model, which underpins many of the company’s advanced artificial intelligence tools.
AI Mode has been in testing through Google Labs, and is now being gradually integrated into the main Search interface. While the broader rollout remains limited, users across the US can still access the feature through Labs if they opt in.
Unlike traditional search, which returns a list of web links, AI Mode delivers a structured answer generated by Gemini. It includes summaries, relevant facts, and the option to ask follow-up questions. Results are supported by source links for users who want to explore further.
The interface has also been updated to include visual cards for places and products. These provide quick access to ratings, opening hours, reviews, and stock availability for locations like restaurants and retail stores.
A new sidebar allows users to revisit their AI-powered searches and continue previous threads, making it easier to return to earlier queries and refine them.
Separately, Google has started testing advertisements within some third-party AI chatbot platforms. According to Bloomberg, its AdSense network is now displaying ads inside chatbot conversations. Google confirmed that it is allowing publishers to run AdSense for Search in AI-driven experiences on their websites.
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