TLDR: Google has officially launched its experimental AI Mode in India, bringing advanced AI voice chat and multimodal search features powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5. This rollout aims to transform the search experience, enabling users to engage in more natural, human-like conversations and tackle complex, multi-layered queries directly within Google Search.
Google has significantly upgraded its search capabilities in India with the official launch of its experimental AI Mode, a feature designed to offer a more interactive and intelligent search experience. This advanced mode, now available in English through Google Labs for Android and iOS users, integrates cutting-edge artificial intelligence to facilitate natural, human-like conversations with the search engine.
The AI Mode is powered by a custom version of Google’s Gemini 2.5 model, enabling it to handle complex, multi-layered queries that would traditionally require multiple individual searches. Users can now ask questions by speaking directly into the Google app, receiving AI-powered audio responses alongside relevant web links. This feature is built for ‘conversational continuity,’ allowing the dialogue to flow naturally and enabling users to multitask seamlessly.
Beyond voice, the AI Mode also supports visual queries, leveraging the popularity of Google Lens in India. Users can upload images or use their camera to ask questions about what they see, receiving detailed, step-by-step responses with accompanying links. For instance, one could photograph a plant and inquire about its care instructions, getting an immediate, comprehensive guide.
This initiative builds on the success of AI Overviews, which Google reports are now utilized by over 1.5 billion users monthly. In key markets like India and the U.S., AI Overviews have led to a 10% increase in engagement with more complex search queries, indicating a growing user appetite for advanced AI-driven search. Google emphasizes that AI Mode is rooted in the company’s existing quality and ranking systems, ensuring traditional search results are displayed when AI confidence is low, and the company continues to explore ways to enhance accuracy and factuality.
The introduction of AI Mode in India signifies Google’s commitment to making search more intuitive and powerful, moving ‘beyond information to intelligence.’ This development is part of a broader strategy to integrate Project Astra’s live capabilities into Search, allowing for real-time, back-and-forth conversations about visual input through the camera, a feature known as ‘Search Live.’ While ‘Search Live’ is still in development, its underlying technologies are already enhancing the AI Mode experience.
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Users in India can access AI Mode by opting into the Labs section within the Google app, marking a significant step towards a more dynamic and conversational future for online search.
