"Google Unveils 'AI Mode' in Search for Deeper, More Interactive Results"

Google has introduced a new experimental feature called "AI Mode" in Search, aimed at competing with services like Perplexity AI and ChatGPT Search. This feature lets users ask complex, multi-part questions and follow-up queries to explore topics in greater depth directly within Google Search.

AI Mode is available to Google One AI Premium subscribers through Search Labs. It uses a custom version of Google's Gemini 2.0 and offers advanced reasoning and multimodal capabilities, making it useful for comparing products or digging deeper into a topic. For example, you can ask a question like “What’s the difference in sleep tracking features between a smart ring, smartwatch, and tracking mat?” and receive a detailed response, along with links to relevant articles. You can then ask follow-up questions, continuing your search seamlessly.

The feature combines information from the web, real-time sources like the Knowledge Graph, and shopping data, enabling users to get more comprehensive answers with fewer queries. Google has also noticed that users are asking longer questions and following up more often compared to traditional searches. AI Mode uses a technique called "query fan-out," running multiple searches concurrently across various data sources and then compiling the results into an easy-to-understand response. The model prioritizes factual accuracy and may provide links when it's unsure, especially in sensitive areas like health.

Since this is an early experiment, Google plans to refine the user experience, adding more visual elements and surfacing information from diverse sources, including user-generated content. Google aims to teach the model when to provide links or prioritize images and videos in responses. Users can access AI Mode through the Google app or by going to google.com/aimode.

Alongside AI Mode, Google also launched Gemini 2.0 for AI Overviews, which can now assist with more complex queries, such as coding, math, and multimodal questions. AI Overviews are now available to a broader audience, including teen users, and no sign-in is required to use the feature.