Google is testing a new feature that integrates its AI Overviews with AI Mode in Search, allowing users to start with an AI-generated snapshot of key information and then seamlessly ask follow-up questions in a conversational interface without switching tabs. AI Mode, launched in the U.S. in May and globally in August, enables back-and-forth chats with Google’s Gemini AI, similar to ChatGPT. Previously, users had to decide beforehand whether to use traditional search or switch to AI Mode for deeper exploration. The new test, currently available globally on mobile devices, removes this distinction, enabling users to dive deeper directly from the Search results page.
This integration aims to reflect natural information-seeking behavior, where initial simple queries often lead to more detailed exploration. The move coincides with OpenAI’s focus on enhancing its chatbox experience and follows improvements in Google’s Gemini AI, which now has over 650 million monthly users. Combining AI Mode with AI Overviews, which have 2 billion monthly users, could boost Gemini’s consumer adoption.
Robby Stein, VP of Product for Google Search, emphasized that users shouldn’t need to decide how or where to ask questions. Instead, they will receive an AI Overview as a starting point and can continue with conversational follow-ups on the same screen. This approach aligns with Google’s vision of a search experience where users can ask any question, regardless of complexity, and find precise answers.
