Google is giving search a new look, courtesy of artificial intelligence (AI) as it grapples with competition from chatbots.
The search giant on Wednesday said a new AI Mode tab at the top of the Google Search page, when clicked, will take users to a new page that answers the query with a “wider and more diverse” set of Gemini 2.0-generated results.
“With this new mode, people can ask nuanced questions that might have previously taken multiple searches — like exploring a new concept to comparing options and beyond — and get a comprehensive AI-powered response,” Google said in a blog post.
The AI Mode, set to first be available to early testers, is a turbo-charged version of Google’s AI Overviews, which answers some queries with a direct answer at the top of the page. AI Mode, by contrast, spits out a page of results powered by the Gemini 2.0 model that uses reasoning and multimodal AI.
For example, if a user asks, “What’s the difference in sleep tracking features between a smart ring, smartwatch and tracking mat,” the custom version of Gemini 2.0 uses a multistep approach to make a plan, conduct searches to find information and adjust the plan based on what it finds.
“[AI Mode] expands what AI Overviews can do with more advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities, so you can get help with even your toughest questions,” Google said in the post. “You can ask anything on your mind and get a helpful AI-powered response with the ability to go further with follow-up questions and helpful web links.”
Google’s latest AI search feature is a defensive move to ward off competition from the likes of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Perplexity AI and other AI chatbots, though Google remains firmly in command of the market for now.
