Google Introduces AI Searching

Google has officially entered its “talk to your browser” era. On Tuesday, the tech giant rolled out AI Mode in the US — a new feature that lets users search the web by chatting directly with Google’s Gemini AI, rather than typing in keywords and sifting through links.

Unveiled at the annual Google I/O conference in California, the new search experience aims to feel more like messaging an expert than Googling in the traditional sense. “With more advanced reasoning, you can ask AI both longer and more complex queries,” said Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai during the keynote, as the BBC explained.

This move is part of Google’s bigger AI-powered glow-up, as the company scrambles to stay ahead of ChatGPT and other fast-growing rivals that are shifting how people search for — and expect — information.

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A smarter search (and fewer clicks)

Leo Gebbie, principal analyst at CCS Insight, said the changes could significantly cut down on “the number of web pages that users must sift through.” In short: less doomscrolling, more direct answers.

“For the end user, this should mean less time spent browsing the web itself, and more time spent talking with Google’s AI tools,” Gebbie added.

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But here’s the twist — while fewer clicks might be great for users, it could be terrible for Google’s bottom line. “Google is getting more efficient at answering questions, but less efficient at generating clicks — and clicks is how they get paid,” explained Cory Johnson, chief market strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research.

Still, Google is betting big. AI Overviews — a feature that summarises results at the top of search pages — already sees 1.5 billion uses per month globally. In the US and India, it’s helped drive over 10% of growth in related queries. Pichai called it “one of the most successful launches in search in the past decade.”

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The return of smart glasses

Not content with just updating search, Google also teased a fresh attempt at smart glasses — yes, again. Teaming up with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, the new glasses will come with a camera, mic, and speakers.

While its original Google Glass famously flopped, this new effort is clearly aimed at rival Meta’s Ray-Ban collab. Google plans to start building the product later this year.

But as the company fights an ongoing monopoly case in the US, the stakes are high. Google is threading the needle between transforming search with AI and keeping its ad empire intact. Whether AI Mode becomes the future of search — or just another experimental sidebar — remains to be seen.