Google AI Mode

Historically, google.com does not change very often. After adding an AI Mode shortcut earlier this year, there’s now a ‘plus’ menu on the Google Search homepage.

Google today announced the latest version of Gemini 2.5 Flash Native Audio. In addition to Google Translate for live headphones translation, AI Mode’s Search Live will benefit from these model upgrades.

Noting how the “way people consume information evolves,” Google announced five updates to boost links in AI Mode and the Gemini app, as well as support the web. 

Google is making AI Mode more ubiquitous with a new design that transitions users from AI Overviews, while Gemini 3 Pro is expanding internationally.

Google is testing an update to Circle to Search on Android that sees any follow-up queries routed to AI Mode with a new bottom search bar design. 

Last week, Gemini Live got a big model upgrade, and now a quality-of-life update improves the captions experience.

Google today announced Gemini 3 with the goal of bringing “any idea to life.” The first model available in this family is Gemini 3 Pro with the rollout starting today for the Gemini app and AI Mode.

After adding shopping features last week, Google is now upgrading AI Mode’s travel capabilities with Canvas.

Google is getting ready for holiday shopping with a handful of new features led by agentic AI checkout and calling.

After giving AI Mode new floating controls on Android, the new Search experience is expanding its presence on Chrome and getting more agentic features.

After a number of Google AI Mode updates in recent weeks, the Search Live conversational experience is getting new floating controls on Android.

Google today released its first TV ad — for Search’s AI Mode — created entirely with generative AI (Veo 3).

Following desktop in July, Chrome for iOS and Android’s New Tab Page now has a shortcut for AI Mode, as well as Incognito.

Nano Banana has been a hit in the Gemini app, and Google is now bringing the model’s (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image) viral image editing and generation to AI Mode, as well as Google Lens.

Google is updating AI Mode to offer a more visual experience when searching for inspiration and shopping.

Google today “officially launched” (US English) AI Mode’s Search Live capability, with both audio and video input, today.

In a sign of the times (and where things are going), visiting google.com/ai now opens Google Search AI Mode.

After launching in three countries, Google is now bringing AI Mode to many more countries around the world, while AI Ultra subscribers will get to use the first agentic capability.

Five months after launching on phones, Google AI Mode is now appearing on Android tablets.

As AI Mode comes to more users around the world, Google is testing more prominent ways to surface the capability (and Live) on mobile.

The clear difference between Gemini and AI Mode will be an assistant. That’s already the case today, and what LLMs continue to make possible will only widen that gap. However, the similarities today make me wonder whether this is confusing for most users.