Google's New AI Mode Turns Search Into a Chatbot Playground

Google is officially stepping into the AI chat ring, and it's doing so right from its most iconic platform—Search. Starting this week, anyone in the U.S. using Google Labs can now tap into "AI Mode," a more conversational, ChatGPT-style interface designed to make web searching feel like chatting with that one friend who somehow knows everything. No more waitlist, no more beta-only access—just dive in and ask away.


This upgrade follows a trend we've seen before. Just like every app went all-in on short-form video in recent years, now it's all about the bots. Everyone wants a slice of the AI pie, and Google's making sure it doesn't fall behind. In fact, Google started testing this mode back in March with selected users. And apparently, it went so well that the company is rolling it out more widely—not just in Labs, but soon to regular Search users across the U.S. too.

So, what makes AI Mode special? It lets you ask bigger, messier questions and follow up with clarifying ones, like you're having an actual conversation. Users are already using it to dig deeper into topics and stumble upon new websites or products they might've never found otherwise. Think of it as your curious, slightly nerdy sidekick—powered by Google's Gemini AI—ready to assist you in real time.

Google isn't the only one in the game. Meta just launched a standalone AI app, X has Grok doing its thing, and even Mark Zuckerberg is chiming in about how people are using AI to prep for difficult conversations. (Therapists, beware.) Meanwhile, Google's approach leans more into discovery—think smarter shopping results and visual cards for places and products.

It'll be fascinating to see which of these tools ends up winning people over. Will folks use Google's AI for product research and stick with ChatGPT for essay help? Will Meta become the go-to for emotional venting? Context seems to matter a lot here—and the platform that figures out how to personalize answers without being creepy might just take the lead.

Want to read this in Spanish? Spanish Version >>