In a major change to the most widely used search engine in the world, Google is launching a new tool in the UK that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to provide results.
Those who select AI Mode will receive a conversational response with significantly fewer links to other pages than a list of search results with links to other websites in blue font.
Google's current search platform, which handles billions of searches daily, will not be replaced by the new tool.
What is Google AI Mode?
The program makes use of Google's query fan-out technique, which divides a subject into subtopics and poses numerous queries at once, in conjunction with a modified version of the search engine's most recent Gemini 2.5 model.
This makes it possible for an AI Mode search to scan the web more thoroughly than a standard Google search, which the company says will help users locate “hyper-relevant” content that answers their query.
The tech giant claimed that AI Mode is “especially helpful” for exploratory enquiries as well as more challenging jobs like product comparison, travel planning, and comprehending challenging queries. It further stated that people will be able to find new material if it is presented in a variety of formats.
Over the coming days, it will be implemented throughout the UK.
AI Mode will be an optional feature for the time being, and it will show up as a tab and an option inside the search box.
The internet giant claimed that it was reacting to users asking increasingly complex questions through its search engine.
Hema Budaraju, vice president, product management, search, said in a blog post: “About two years ago, if you spilled coffee on your carpet, you would have [searched for] 'clean carpet stain'.
“That's how you would have probably keyworded your way through.
“Now, my query is likely to be, 'I spilled coffee on my Berber carpet, I'm looking for a cleaner that is pet friendly'.”
Furthermore, AI Mode is multimodal in nature, allowing users to ask enquiries via voice, video, or text.
Along with asking a question, users can contribute an image or photo.
The service will show up as a tab on search results pages and is currently accessible to users in the US and India.
Concerned businesses
According to Ms Budaraju, the company has not yet decided how AI Mode's advertising revenue would be distributed or if businesses would be able to pay to be featured in the answer.
However, some companies are already worried about it, claiming that fewer visitors will click on to their websites using the links in an AI summary.
In response Ms Budaraju said: “I would say that I think people are going to use these technologies to unlock newer information-seeking journeys.
“These kind of questions didn't happen before, and now you made it really possible for people to express anything a lot more naturally.”
