Google has launched its experimental AI Mode—a Q&A‑style, generative AI-powered search feature—available today to users in India via Search Labs, with support in English only.
How its work
- Powered by a custom Gemini 2.5 model, AI Mode lets users ask longer, multilayered questions : up to 2–3× the length of standard search queries—spanning multiple subtopics simultaneously.
- Built on Google’s “query fan-out” approach, it breaks down complex questions into several parallel searches, retrieves real-time info from Knowledge Graph and shopping databases, and then synthesizes a unified response.
- After the initial answer, users can easily refine queries via follow-up questions.
What makes it stand out in India:
- Multimodal inputs are supported—voice, text, and images via Google Lens—allowing users to speak or photograph queries (e.g., “What plant is this, and how do I care for it?”)
- Given the high adoption of voice and visual search in India, Google sees strong demand for such functionality.
With over 870 million internet users, India represents a crucial market and innovation hub for Google. The U.S. release earlier this year gained traction, and the company has gradually expanded features like image and voice search, shopping tools, and ads to many users .
The rollout also aligns with Google’s broader strategy to compete with chat‑based AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity by offering a native AI-powered search experience
Users in India can opt into AI Mode now via Search Labs in the English-language version of Google Search. There’s no word yet on support for local Indian languages or wider global expansion.
Google’s AI Mode brings advanced, multimodal, conversational search to India’s tens of millions of users. It represents a strategic step in transforming Search into an intelligent, chat-like assistant while keeping users anchored to Google’s own platform.
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