Following increasing competition from other AI giants, Google has started testing a new feature that merges its AI previews with AI Mode in Search.
Google’s new feature merging AI previews with AI mode
This integration of AI Mode into AI Previews would allow users to access AI-generated snapshots of key information on top of their search results and then ask follow-up questions in a conversational interface.
AI Mode rolled out to US and global users in May and August respectively, enabling ChatGPT-style interactions with Google’s Gemini AI; However, until now, users had to choose between traditional search queries or engage in a deeper conversation by switching to the AI Mode tab, depending on their query type.
By combining its two search engine-oriented AI offerings, Google aims to streamline this process by allowing users to “seamlessly dig deeper” into AI mode directly from the search results page.
Highlighting Google’s goal of making finding information more intuitive and accessible, Robby Stein, vice president of product for search at Google, said: “You shouldn’t have to think about where or how to ask your question. »
Announced at the beginning of the week during the test phase, this new tool is currently only available on mobile devices.
The merger of AI Mode and AI Overviews follows OpenAI’s shift in focus toward improving its chatbot experience, while delaying the launch of other products.
As Gemini has attracted over 650 million monthly users, after recent upgrades, especially to the Nano Banana image model, merging AI Mode with AI Previews could further expand Gemini’s user base.
