Google has unveiled a new AI-powered search mode that delivers deeper, smarter, and more nuanced results, marking a major leap in integrating generative AI into its core search engine.
At its annual developers’ conference, CEO Sundar Pichai described the new feature as the culmination of “decades of research.” This AI mode, currently available to users in the US, enhances reasoning skills, supports multi-modal inputs, and handles longer, more complex queries with the ability to ask follow-up questions. Pichai emphasized that this represents a complete reinvention of search, going beyond the earlier AI Overviews feature that displayed AI-generated summaries above traditional results. “Users can now explore their queries in much greater detail,” he said.
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Liz Reid, Google’s head of search, explained that the AI mode searches the entire web far more comprehensively than traditional search, providing a more interactive and thorough experience.
Since launching AI Overviews last year, the feature has attracted over 1.5 billion users worldwide, making Google Search the largest generative AI platform globally, according to Pichai.
This innovation arrives amid rising competition from AI-driven services like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which has also integrated web search into its chatbot. Both companies are rapidly evolving their AI offerings despite challenges such as combating misinformation and establishing viable business models.
However, the shift from traditional “blue links” to AI-generated answers raises concerns about reduced ad revenue, as fewer users may click through to websites. News outlets, Wikipedia, and other online publishers worry that diminished traffic could hurt their financial sustainability.
Adding to Google’s challenges, Apple’s senior VP Eddy Cue testified in a federal antitrust trial that Google’s search traffic on Apple devices declined in April for the first time in over 20 years. Cue attributed this drop to competition from AI-powered alternatives like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
The trial carries significant implications, with a judge possibly ordering Google to divest parts of its business after previous rulings deemed its search operations an illegal monopoly.
At the Google I/O event, the company also showcased other AI advancements, including real-time speech translation, virtual try-ons of clothing using personal photos, and AI shopping assistants that autonomously find deals and complete purchases.
Additionally, Google announced a forthcoming “Ultra” subscription plan costing $250 per month, granting subscribers access to premium AI features like AI agents capable of independently performing online tasks through Chrome and the Gemini AI app.
