Google Search Enhances User Experience with Free AI Upgrade
Google has long been the king of search engines, but the emergence of generative AI has introduced a new contender in the form of AI-powered search engines. Google's response to this shift is its AI Mode, which transforms traditional search into a conversational experience, reminiscent of interacting with ChatGPT.
The enthusiasm for Google's AI Mode was so overwhelming that it quickly transitioned from being a perk exclusive to Google One AI Premium subscribers, costing $20 a month, to being available to all Google account holders through Google Labs. In a recent update on Monday, Google enhanced the feature with multimodal capabilities, making it accessible to millions more through the Labs program.
A key enhancement is the integration of Google Lens into AI Mode. This feature, which allows users to upload images for further exploration, now offers a deeper visual search experience. With AI Mode, the system can interpret the full context of an image, understanding the relationships between objects, as well as their shapes, colors, and materials.
For instance, Google's blog highlighted a scenario where a user snaps a picture of their bookshelf and asks for book recommendations. AI Mode not only identifies the books but also conducts a search and provides conversational recommendations based on the themes of the books shown.
To access this feature, simply head over to Google Labs, sign in with your Google account, and join the waitlist. You'll receive an email notification once you're granted access, allowing you to explore AI Mode within the Google app on Android and iOS devices.
This new capability sets AI Mode apart from Google's AI Overviews and Gemini chatbot, as it merges real-time, web-based responses with a conversational interface, blending the precision of a search engine with the engaging nature of a chatbot.
In the competitive landscape, AI Mode faces rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT Search and Perplexity AI. The market is bustling with various AI search engines catering to different needs, and you can check out ZDNET's comprehensive list to find the one that suits you best.
Interested in more AI stories? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Innovation, to stay updated.
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Comments (46)
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![AndrewWilson]()
AndrewWilson
August 29, 2025 at 10:30:37 AM EDT
A atualização de IA gratuita do Google Search parece promissora, mas será que isso vai realmente melhorar nossa experiência ou só tornar os resultados mais genéricos? 🤔 Lembrei daquela vez que o Google tentou implementar o 'Knowledge Graph' e alguns resultados ficaram estranhos...
0
![HaroldMoore]()
HaroldMoore
April 20, 2025 at 4:52:01 PM EDT
GoogleのAIモードはクールですが、時々遅いです。会話形式の検索は良いアイデアですね！友達と話すみたいで楽しいです。もう少しスムーズになればいいのに。🤖👍
0
![LawrenceGarcía]()
LawrenceGarcía
April 19, 2025 at 6:20:29 PM EDT
Google's AI Mode is cool, but it can be a bit slow at times. The conversational search is a nice touch, though! It's like talking to a friend who knows everything. Could be smoother, but I'm digging it. 🤖👍
0
![WillLopez]()
WillLopez
April 19, 2025 at 4:04:08 PM EDT
구글의 AI 모드는 멋지지만, 때때로 느립니다. 대화형 검색은 좋은 아이디어예요! 친구와 이야기하는 것 같아서 재미있어요. 좀 더 부드럽게 작동했으면 좋겠어요. 🤖👍
0
![DonaldGonzález]()
DonaldGonzález
April 19, 2025 at 5:31:46 AM EDT
Googleの検索に追加されたAIモードはかなりクールですが、会話的になりすぎている気がします。素早い回答には便利ですが、もう少しシンプルにしてほしいですね。それでも、前進の一歩だと思います！👍
0
![PatrickMartinez]()
PatrickMartinez
April 19, 2025 at 2:38:50 AM EDT
O modo AI do Google na busca é bem legal, mas às vezes parece que está tentando ser muito conversacional. É ótimo para respostas rápidas, mas eu gostaria que fosse um pouco mais direto às vezes. Ainda assim, é um passo na direção certa! 👍
0
Google has long been the king of search engines, but the emergence of generative AI has introduced a new contender in the form of AI-powered search engines. Google's response to this shift is its AI Mode, which transforms traditional search into a conversational experience, reminiscent of interacting with ChatGPT.
The enthusiasm for Google's AI Mode was so overwhelming that it quickly transitioned from being a perk exclusive to Google One AI Premium subscribers, costing $20 a month, to being available to all Google account holders through Google Labs. In a recent update on Monday, Google enhanced the feature with multimodal capabilities, making it accessible to millions more through the Labs program.
A key enhancement is the integration of Google Lens into AI Mode. This feature, which allows users to upload images for further exploration, now offers a deeper visual search experience. With AI Mode, the system can interpret the full context of an image, understanding the relationships between objects, as well as their shapes, colors, and materials.
For instance, Google's blog highlighted a scenario where a user snaps a picture of their bookshelf and asks for book recommendations. AI Mode not only identifies the books but also conducts a search and provides conversational recommendations based on the themes of the books shown.
To access this feature, simply head over to Google Labs, sign in with your Google account, and join the waitlist. You'll receive an email notification once you're granted access, allowing you to explore AI Mode within the Google app on Android and iOS devices.
This new capability sets AI Mode apart from Google's AI Overviews and Gemini chatbot, as it merges real-time, web-based responses with a conversational interface, blending the precision of a search engine with the engaging nature of a chatbot.
In the competitive landscape, AI Mode faces rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT Search and Perplexity AI. The market is bustling with various AI search engines catering to different needs, and you can check out ZDNET's comprehensive list to find the one that suits you best.
Interested in more AI stories? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Innovation, to stay updated.
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The Return of Pebble: Name and AllPebble enthusiasts can rejoice - the beloved smartwatch brand isn't just making a comeback, it's reclaiming its iconic name. "We've successfully regained the Pebble trademark, which honestly surprised me with how smo
August 29, 2025 at 10:30:37 AM EDT
A atualização de IA gratuita do Google Search parece promissora, mas será que isso vai realmente melhorar nossa experiência ou só tornar os resultados mais genéricos? 🤔 Lembrei daquela vez que o Google tentou implementar o 'Knowledge Graph' e alguns resultados ficaram estranhos...
0
April 20, 2025 at 4:52:01 PM EDT
GoogleのAIモードはクールですが、時々遅いです。会話形式の検索は良いアイデアですね！友達と話すみたいで楽しいです。もう少しスムーズになればいいのに。🤖👍
0
April 19, 2025 at 6:20:29 PM EDT
Google's AI Mode is cool, but it can be a bit slow at times. The conversational search is a nice touch, though! It's like talking to a friend who knows everything. Could be smoother, but I'm digging it. 🤖👍
0
April 19, 2025 at 4:04:08 PM EDT
구글의 AI 모드는 멋지지만, 때때로 느립니다. 대화형 검색은 좋은 아이디어예요! 친구와 이야기하는 것 같아서 재미있어요. 좀 더 부드럽게 작동했으면 좋겠어요. 🤖👍
0
April 19, 2025 at 5:31:46 AM EDT
Googleの検索に追加されたAIモードはかなりクールですが、会話的になりすぎている気がします。素早い回答には便利ですが、もう少しシンプルにしてほしいですね。それでも、前進の一歩だと思います！👍
0
April 19, 2025 at 2:38:50 AM EDT
O modo AI do Google na busca é bem legal, mas às vezes parece que está tentando ser muito conversacional. É ótimo para respostas rápidas, mas eu gostaria que fosse um pouco mais direto às vezes. Ainda assim, é um passo na direção certa! 👍
0
