If this sounds familiar, it’s because Google has already been integrating AI-generated summaries into search results. But this is the next step — an AI-first experience, where Gemini does all the work and presents what it considers the best answer. It’s currently available only to Google One AI Premium subscribers, with a waitlist for those who want to try it at some time in the future.

How it works

Google’s AI search can handle a variety of queries, but it’s designed to shine in complex searches — things like comparing products, planning trips or troubleshooting problems. Ask it how to fix a leaky faucet, and instead of a list of DIY articles, you’ll get a step-by-step guide written in a conversational tone. Looking for the best running shoes for bad knees? The AI will compare options based on comfort, support and reviews — all in one response.

This new search mode is also multimodal, meaning it doesn’t just process text but also understands and generates responses using images and videos. Ask about a landmark, and the response might include photos. Need help identifying a plant? Snap a picture, and AI Search will try to recognize it.

A key difference between this new AI Mode and the AI Overviews that Google has been testing is interactivity. AI Overviews offer a static response — if you want more details, you have to start a new search. But in AI Mode, you can ask follow-up questions, request clarification or refine your query without leaving the conversation. If you’re researching the best laptops, for example, you can ask it to compare battery life, suggest budget options or provide more details on a specific model.

The trade-off

This shift takes the burden of research off users, but at what cost? Traditional Google Search relies on ranking sources and providing a list of links. While not perfect, it gives users the ability to compare different perspectives and vet information themselves. AI-generated responses, on the other hand, act as a single, authoritative answer.

The problem is, AI doesn’t actually know anything. It predicts what sounds like a good answer based on the data it was trained on, which means it’s susceptible to bias, misinformation and outright mistakes. If AI search delivers an answer that sounds right, how many people will actually take the time to verify it?

Google says AI Search will cite sources, but if users stop clicking on links, what happens to the broader ecosystem of independent websites? Publishers, journalists and researchers rely on Google for traffic. If fewer people visit their sites, will high-quality sources continue to exist? And if the data pool shrinks, AI’s ability to generate accurate answers could suffer as well.

An AI-driven future for Search

Google isn’t the only player in the AI search game. Microsoft has been integrating AI into Bing for over a year. Perplexity AI, a search startup, offers a similar AI-generated approach. Even OpenAI’s ChatGPT is becoming a search alternative.

Speaking of ChatGPT, OpenAI is also expanding its AI toolset. The chatbot is moving beyond text and into app integrations. Canva, a popular design tool, is now available directly within ChatGPT. Click “Explore GPTs” in the left panel, add Canva and you can generate a social media post, ad or presentation without leaving the chat. The design opens in Canva, ready for editing.

This is the future: AI-powered assistants that seamlessly connect with other services. Instead of bouncing between multiple tools — MidJourney for images, ChatGPT for text, Canva for design — AI assistants will combine everything into one place. The chatbots that integrate the most useful services in the easiest way will win.

What’s next?

For now, Google’s AI search experiment is an early glimpse at what the future of search might look like. If AI Mode proves successful, we could see a shift where search engines no longer just point users toward the best source of information — but instead become the source itself. And whether or not that’s a good thing depends on how much we’re willing to trust AI to get it right.

Leslie Meredith has been writing about technology for more than a decade. Have a question? Email Leslie at asklesliemeredith@gmail.com.