At the Google I/O Developer Conference on May 20, 2025, Google announced that its **AI Mode (AI mode)** search function was officially available to all users in the United States, marking a major transformation in traditional search experiences.
Powered by the Gemini2.0 model, AI Mode combines multi-modal reasoning, deep search, and personalization features, aiming to provide users with a smarter and more conversational search experience.
Conversational Search and Multi-Modal Support
AI Mode breaks through the traditional "ten blue links" model and adopts an interaction method similar to chatbots. Users can ask complex questions through text, voice, or images, such as "compare the differences in sleep tracking functions between smart rings and smartwatches." AI Mode will use query expansion (query fan-out) technology to search multiple sub-topics in parallel, integrating Google's knowledge graph, real-time shopping data, and web content to generate concise and comprehensive answers. The new multi-modal search feature, leveraging Google Lens and Gemini2.0, allows users to upload image queries; for example, taking a picture of a sweater can provide purchase links or recommendations for similar products.
Deep Search and Proxy Functions Enhance Task Efficiency
AI Mode introduces Deep Search functionality, which automatically performs hundreds of searches for complex questions, generating expert-level reports with citations, significantly reducing research time.
In addition, Project Mariner's proxy function gives AI Mode the ability to execute multi-step tasks, such as searching for and filtering event tickets within a user's budget, and even completing purchases through Google Pay. Google stated that AI Mode has collaborated with platforms like Ticketmaster and StubHub to support event tickets, restaurant reservations, and other scenarios, with plans to expand to more services in the future.
Personalization and History Management
AI Mode provides optional personalized features, combining user search history and data from Google apps like Gmail (with user authorization) to offer more precise recommendations.
For example, when searching for "Nashville weekend food events," AI Mode can prioritize recommending restaurants with outdoor seating based on a user's past dining preferences. The newly added sidebar for viewing history allows users to quickly review and continue previous searches, making it particularly useful for ongoing tasks like planning trips or researching large purchases.
Widespread Deployment and Industry Impact
AI Mode has expanded from the Google Labs experimental stage to all US users, available without subscription. The mobile experience is best provided through the Google app (iOS and Android). Google reported that AI Mode query lengths are twice those of traditional searches, with usage frequency increasing by over 10%, indicating its popularity in complex queries.
However, discussions online have raised concerns among some industry insiders about the potential reduction in website traffic and impact on content creators. Google responded that no significant traffic decline has been observed and will continue optimizing to balance user experience with ecosystem health.
The launch of Google's AI Mode marks the shift of search from information retrieval to intelligent interaction. Its multi-modal, proxy, and personalized features provide users with unprecedented convenience.