Over the past decade or two, Google Search has been the go-to tool for satisfying curiosity, efficiently gathering information from across the web.
But in just the past couple of years, AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini have gained popularity by answering complex questions in a conversational manner, even when users struggle to articulate their queries.
Still, for up-to-date and accurate information, traditional search engines like Google remain more reliable, as chatbots can sometimes provide outdated responses unless directed to search the web.
Wouldn’t it be great if Google integrated its Gemini AI into Search? Well, at its 2025 I/O conference, Google announced just that — a new AI Mode in Search. The catch is, it’s currently available in the US only. International market rollout is in the company’s plans, though we just have to wait a little bit.
AI Mode in Google Search is powered by Gemini 2.5 LLM
Prior to the launch of AI Mode in Google Search, the company had integrated the AI Overviews function into its search engine since 2023, which is said to have boosted the usage of Google by over 10%.
Now available in the US, AI Mode in Search is powered by a custom version of Google’s Gemini 2.5 large language model (LLM). As you would expect from Gemini, AI Mode can help answer longer and more complex queries that are, as Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai said, two to three times the length of traditional searches.
As to how AI Mode answer your queries, Google says it uses its query-fan-out technique — breaking down your question into subtopics and issuing a multitude of queries simultaneously on your behalf. The company explained that this allows Search to dive deeper into the web than the regular Google Search we’ve long been familiar with.
You can find and activate AI Mode on Google Search itself or on the search bar within the Google app. It’s also worth noting that the feature is fully official, and with no Google Labs sign-up required.
Aside from AI Mode, AI Overviews is also receiving the Gemini 2.5 LLM in the US. Hopefully, these features will come to international markets, including Malaysia, soon.
AI Mode can soon book tickets and do shopping for you too
Google also showcased some of the features that will be coming soon to AI Mode. Currently still in their testing phase, these features include Deep Search, which uses the same query fan-out technique as the regular AI Mode, but is said to be able to issue hundreds of searches, reason across disparate pieces of information, and create a fully-cited report in just minutes.
In the future, AI Mode will also include features from Google’s Project Mariner. This will allow AI Mode to help you complete tasks such as purchasing tickets or making reservations at a restaurant.
Google is also bringing its Project Astra into AI Mode via Search Live. Essentially expanding on what Google Lens is already capable of, Search Live allows you to interact with Search by just having a conversation with it in real time using your camera. The AI will answer your questions based on what it sees through the viewfinder.
Now, this feature, called the AI mode Shopping Experience, will be making its way to US markets in the coming months, at least according to Google. As you might have guessed from its name, this feature will help you do your shopping online.
By using Gemini and Google’s Shopping Graph, AI Mode will help you browse the web for the products you want and narrow down the selections for you. You can also virtually “try on” the clothes you’re looking to purchase to see how they fit on you by uploading a full-length photo of yourself.
Users in the US can try out these features via Google Labs. As for the rest of us, I guess we will have to be a bit more patient.
