Google Expands AI Overviews and Introduces AI Mode in Search
Google is making its search experience even smarter by improving AI-powered search results and launching a new experimental feature called AI Mode. These advancements are designed to help users get better answers to complex questions while providing deeper insights and reliable web content.
More People Can Now Use AI Overviews
Google’s AI Overviews, which have already helped over a billion users, are becoming even more advanced with the launch of Gemini 2.0. This upgrade allows Google to handle more challenging questions, including those related to:
- Coding
- Advanced math
- Multimodal queries (questions that involve multiple types of input, like text and images)
Additionally, AI Overviews are now available to teenagers, and users can access them without needing to sign in.
AI Mode: A Smarter Way to Search
Many users want AI-generated responses for a wider range of search queries. To meet this demand, Google is testing a new feature called AI Mode in Labs.
What Makes AI Mode Special?
AI Mode takes AI Overviews a step further by offering:
- More advanced reasoning and problem-solving capabilities
- Smarter comparisons (for instance, comparing different products or concepts in-depth)
- Multi-step responses, where Google actively searches for information and adjusts based on what it finds
- Follow-up questions, allowing users to refine their searches and get even more relevant answers
For example, if you want to compare sleep-tracking features between a smart ring, smartwatch, and tracking mat, AI Mode will gather information, analyze different sources, and guide you through the comparison in an easy-to-understand format. You can also ask follow-up questions, such as “What happens to your heart rate during deep sleep?”, and AI Mode will provide a helpful response with links to verified sources.
How AI Mode Works
Google’s AI Mode combines powerful AI tools with its best-in-class information systems. It leverages:
- Real-time web content
- Google’s Knowledge Graph (a system that helps understand real-world facts)
- Shopping data for billions of products
AI Mode uses a technique called “query fan-out”, where it processes multiple related searches simultaneously to provide well-rounded, detailed answers.
Testing AI Mode in Labs
Currently, Google is rolling out AI Mode to a limited number of users as an opt-in experience in Labs. The company is gathering feedback to refine the feature before expanding access in the future.
Key Takeaways from the Early Tests:
- Users appreciate the speed and accuracy of responses
- Google is improving factual accuracy and filtering out unreliable AI-generated information
- Future improvements will include more visual responses (images, videos), richer formatting, and better ways to access helpful web content
Starting today, Google One AI Premium subscribers will be among the first to try AI Mode in Labs. Google is actively working on updates based on user feedback, so expect even more enhancements soon.
For more details on these updates, visit the original article on Google’s blog.