Google launches AI Mode to all U.S. searchers with new features
Google AI Mode is now available to all U.S. searchers without having to opt into it within Search Labs. When Google announced AI Mode in March, it was only available to U.S. users to opt into via Search Labs, now you no longer need to opt into it.
A new tab for AI Mode will appear under the search bar on Google.com and in the Google Search apps for US searches this week.
Google did say recently they have begun testing AI Mode in the wild, without opting into it. But starting today, as announced at Google I/O, AI Mode in the US no longer needs you to opt in to see it. AI Mode has “graduated” Search Labs.
Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, said at Google I/O that AI mode leads to searches two to three times the length of traditional Google Searches, and sometimes even five times that length.
Google also announced a number of updates to AI Mode:
- Deep Search in Al Mode
- Complex analysis and data visualization in Al Mode
- Search Live
- Personal context in Al Mode
- Shopping in Al Mode
- Try it on
- Agentic checkout
- Gemini 2.5
For a deep dive on how AI Mode works, see our story from March. Liz Reid, Google’s head of search, wrote:
Under the hood, Al Mode uses our query fan-out technique, breaking down your question into subtopics and issuing a multitude of queries simultaneously on your behalf. This enables Search to dive deeper into the web than a traditional search on Google, helping you discover even more of what the web has to offer and find incredible, hyper-relevant content that matches your question.
Deep Search. The name “Deep search” sound familiar? Well, it should, it is what Microsoft called its AI search feature – Deep Search with Bing back in December 2023. Microsoft has since renamed it Copilot Search in Bing.
Deep search in Google AI Mode gives you a deeper search experience with a much longer form response, that are fully cited, like an expert-written report. All with lots of citations and links, Google said.
“Deep Search uses the same query fan-out technique but taken to the next level. It can issue hundreds of searches, reason across disparate pieces of information, and create an expert-level fully-cited report in just minutes, saving you hours of research,” Liz Reid said.
Here is how Deep Search works in AI Mode:
Complex analysis. Plus, rolling out in Search Labs in the coming months is a new feature for complex questions. This will create charts and analysis on-the-fly using real-time data, and the Google knowledge graph. This will be a Search Labs opt in feature for sports and financial queries.
Here is how the complex analysis dynamically creates these charts:
Agentic in AI Mode. Google will also add some early elements of agents (Agentic) to AI Mode. Google’s
Project Mariner capabilities will be rolled into Al Mode. So these agents can help you complete tasks such as dealing with event tickets, restaurant reservations, and appointments for local services.
The example Liz Reid provided was for a search on “Find 2 affordable tickets for this Saturday’s Reds game in the lower level” and “Al Mode will kick off a query fan-out, looking across sites to analyze hundreds of potential ticket options with real-time pricing and inventory, and handle the tedious work of filling in forms,” Reid told us. Then Al Mode will provide the searcher with ticket options, and you can complete the purchase on whichever site you prefer.
Here is how this looks:
Google won’t automatically buy anything without you specifically clicking a button, but Google will bring that buy button to you without you having to do all the work to get to that page.
Personal Context in AI Mode – Google will also be adding tailored recommendations within AI Mode. This requires Google to connect to your personal logged in and private Google services. So Google is adding options to connect Google apps, starting with Gmail. You will be able to turn this off (or on) at any time. This is coming to Search Labs later this Summer.
The example Liz Reid provided was when you are searching for “things to do in nashville this weekend with friends, we’re big foodies who like music” ahead of an upcoming trip. Here Al Mode can show you restaurants with outdoor seating based on your past restaurant bookings and searches. “And you can get suggestions for events while you’re in town, with many near where you’re staying, based on your flight and hotel confirmations,” she added.
Gemini 2.5. Plus, AI Mode has been upgraded to a custom Gemini model, Gemini 2.5 is now powering AI Mode, as it is with AI Overviews.
Why we care. AI Mode, according to some, is what Google likely should have launched instead of AI Overviews. Having a separate tab to see AI responses, instead of being forced it within Google Search, is a better user experience for some.
Now that AI Mode is available to all U.S. users, it will be interesting to see how real searchers, in the real world, opt to use AI Mode over Google Search.
How your sites and brand names show up in AI Mode will also be a big question. Can you drive traffic that converts from AI Mode is a question most in our industry are asking and testing. Google says, like they do with AI Overviews, say searchers who click from these AI responses are spending more time on your sites, which they say leads to better users.
Ultimately, it is up to us to test this and see how we can leverage these new AI features to drive business to our customers.
Dig deeper. More Google I/O news from today:
