Google’s New Search: Less Typing, More Talking, Maximum Wow

Google has released its most revolutionary update to Search in years, introducing a set of cutting-edge AI features that will continue to keep the company in the lead as rivals such as OpenAI and Perplexity fuel the war for control of internet searching. Revealed at its annual I/O developer conference, the changes represent a definitive move away from basic blue links towards a highly interactive, smart search experience.

Major Highlights
AI Mode Goes Mainstream
Google's new AI Mode, previously under testing, has now rolled out to all U.S. users. This chatbot-style UI allows people to have natural conversations, ask follow-up questions, and get highly detailed, context-aware responses. AI Mode coexists with familiar tabs such as Images and News on the Search interface.

Driven by Gemini 2.5:
The most recent Gemini 2.5 AI model powers both AI Mode and AI Overviews, with faster, more precise, and multimodal answers. The powerful reasoning of Gemini enables the system to decompose intricate questions into subtopics and execute several searches simultaneously, unearthing more profound and relevant information.

Deep Search for Expert Insights
A new Deep Search capability utilizes the same "query fan-out" method but on a much larger scale—running hundreds of searches in parallel. This allows Google to produce expert-level, fully-cited reports in minutes, freeing users from hours of research.

Search Live Brings Real-Time Visual Search:
Building on strengths from Project Astra, Search Live enables people to use their phone cameras to pose questions about what they see in the moment. For instance, users can aim their camera at a project or thing and get real-time, actionable recommendations.

AI Overviews Expands Worldwide
AI Overviews, which summarize answers at the top of search results, now reach over 1.5 billion users in 200 countries and territories. Google reports a 10% increase in complex queries in major markets since the launch.

Personalized and Agentic Experiences:
Beyond search, Google is integrating Gemini’s AI into shopping assistants, automated email responses, and even Chrome, aiming for a seamless, personalized experience across its ecosystem.

The Big Picture
Google's comprehensive AI enhancements are a straight response to intensifying pressure from AI-first challengers. By putting conversational, multimodal, and agentic AI at the core of Search, Google is wagering on a future in which search is not merely finding information—but intelligent aid, real-time insight, and profound personalization.

Source: Yahoo Finance