Google tests merging AI Overviews with AI Mode

As OpenAI goes into “Code RedDespite the competitive pressure, Google announced that it has started testing a new feature that merges its functions AI overviews with AI mode in Search. That means users who get the now-common AI-generated snapshot of important information about a topic or question above their search results can choose to dig deeper by asking follow-up questions in a conversational interface.

Google calls this a conversation feature AI mode. It launched in May for US users and in August for global users, allowing back-and-forth chats with Google’s Gemini AI, in an experience similar to ChatGPT.

However, to access the experience so far you had to think in advance about the type of question you were preparing for. If it were a more traditional search, or one where you would expect a quick answer, you would probably continue typing into the search box as usual.

But if you were expecting to ask more questions or explore a topic in more detail, you’d have to click over to the AI ​​mode tab to start chatting with the AI ​​instead.

Google now wants to test whether it makes sense to distinguish the two experiences. After all, the process of searching for information can often lead to a desire to learn more. You may have thought you were starting with a simple question, but found yourself delving deeper into the topic.

With the new test, announced Monday, Google says users can “seamlessly dig deeper” in AI mode right from the search results page. Although the test is being rolled out to users worldwide, it is only available on mobile devices for now.

The rollout comes with a boost to Google’s AI rival OpenAI, which is now delaying other products to focus on improving the chat box experience. Gemini has grown thanks in part to the release of Gemini’s Nano Banana image model and other Gemini improvements to more than 650 million monthly users from November. Merging conversation mode with AI Overviews, which has two billion monthly users, could give Gemini an edge in consumer adoption.

Comments VP Product for Google Search Robby Stein, in a message on X“You don’t have to think about where or how to ask your question.” Instead, he explained, users will continue to get an AI overview as a helpful starting point, but then be able to ask follow-up questions from the same screen in AI mode.

“This brings us closer to our vision for Search: just ask what’s on your mind – no matter how long or complex – and find exactly what you need,” Stein wrote.