Google rolls out new AI-powered search mode in India
The company announced on Monday that Indian users can now opt in to the feature via Search Labs, marking a significant expansion of its generative AI search ambitions beyond the U.S. market.
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Google has officially introduced its experimental AI Mode to users in India today, turning its iconic search bar into something more akin to a conversation with a digital oracle.
The company announced on Monday that Indian users can now opt in to the feature via Search Labs, marking a significant expansion of its generative AI search ambitions beyond the U.S. market.
Currently, the tool supports only English queries, with no timeline yet shared for support in regional Indian languages. Once activated, AI mode allows users to ask complex, multi-layered questions - like parenting advice or indoor activity suggestions for energetic kids - and receive conversational, context-rich answers.
Users can also ask follow-up questions to fine-tune results, making the experience more interactive and human-like.
The tool is powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5, Google's large language model, and supports voice and image search in India.
Google initially rolled out AI mode earlier this year for premium U.S. subscribers and expanded access globally post its Google I/O event. Since then, it has added shopping integrations, voice and image capabilities, and begun showing ads within AI responses.
The move also signals Google’s response to growing competition from chat-based AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, which have been increasingly integrated into users’ daily search habits. By offering an in-house conversational assistant, Google aims to retain users seeking AI-driven, chat-style interfaces within its ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the tech giant continues to push AI Overviews, a feature summarizing search results at the top of the page.
Google said in April that the tool has been adopted by over 1.5 billion users globally. However, the shift toward AI-generated summaries has raised concerns among publishers, with reports suggesting a drop in organic traffic due to users relying more on AI snippets than clicking through to external websites.
