Google’s New AI Mode: What It Means for the Future of Search

While we are still trying to rank in Google AI overviews, Google  is introducing a new feature, “AI Mode,” that allows users to get an AI-powered response with follow-up questions and relevant links from the web.

This new AI Mode further extends the reach of what AI Overviews can do through more advanced reasoning, thinking, and engagement. This is useful for interrogation requiring deeper probing, reasoning, or comparison. Google introduced this mode as an optional experiment in Labs to get feedback from users who want to try it early.

Highlighting the importance of the new AI mode, Google said:

So, what’s all included in AI Mode? How is it different from the Google AI overview, and what impact can it have on the future of search? Let’s talk to understand better!!

Google’s AI Mode: A New Era of Smart Search

AI mode is Google’s new experimental search feature, powered by the Google Gemini 2.0 model, that can generate an entire page of results. When a user activates the AI model (currently available for testing through search labs), Google provides an entire page of AI-generated results that uses reasoning and multimodal AI, including understanding text, voice, and images, to offer an interactive search experience. AI Mode lets you explore a topic and get comprehensive AI-based answers without you needing to do those comparisons and analyses yourself

However, it is currently available to users with Google One AI Premium subscriptions.

If you have activated AI mode, you can gain full access to AI mode simply by following:

• Go to www.google.com, enter a question in the Search bar, and tap the “AI Mode” tab below the Search bar.
• Go directly to the AI Mode tab on Google Search at: google.com/aimode.
• In the Google app, tap the AI Mode icon below the Search bar on the home screen.

Textual request:

• Use text to ask a question
• Enter your question in the Ask AI Mode bar near the bottom of the screen
• To ask a follow-up or a new question, type into the Ask AI Mode bar near the bottom of the screen.

Use your voice to ask a question

• Say your question
• Tap Microphone in the Ask AI Mode bar near the bottom to ask a follow-up or a new question.

Use images to ask a question

Note: This is available only in the Google app experience.

• In the Search bar, tap Lens
• Upload an image or take a photo
• To ask a follow-up or a new question, type into the Ask AI Mode bar near the bottom of the screen.

With traditional search, users receive a mix of links, ads, and snippets; whereas, AI Mode integrates an in-depth AI-generated response for the user’s question. This may include comparison tables, shopping information, and structured answers.

• Comprehensive and in-depth responses.
• Comparison Charts
• Follow-up suggestions
• Contextual links to original, relevant sources

From AI Overviews To AI Mode: What Changed?

To understand how AI mode works, it’s important to understand its foundation, which is led by Google AI overviews. It was released in 2023 under the authority of Google’s Search Generative Experince (SGE). AI overviews provide direct, to-the-point, and concise answers at the top of the SERP, supported by relevant link sources.

Triggers in the Overview of AI often refer to:

• Generic information requests.
• Comparative-product queries.
• Series of instructions.
• Explanatory search.

On the other hand, AI mode goes beyond just supplementing traditional results by providing snippets. It can create an entire search engine result page, allowing users to ask follow-up questions for complex queries.

Key Things To Look Out For In AI Mode

1. Generating a Full Page of AI Results

AI Mode transforms the standard search results page into an information-rich interface with AI-generated insights. It includes summaries and contextual recommendations aimed at your search intent.

2. Advanced Multimodal Capabilities

Another important aspect of AI mode is the multimodality capability that allows users to search using text, voice commands, or images. Moreover, it performs tasks like product identification, text translation from pictures, or understanding visual concepts accurately and quickly.

3. Interactive Follow-Ups

Rather than providing a single answer, AI Mode offers you natural, conversational follow-up questions using an embedded chatbot for deep exploration.

4. Backed By Data

AI mode sources collect information from Google Shopping, verified databases, expert-curated content, and knowledge panels to give accurate, evolving, dependable responses fit to the context of users’ queries.

5. Comparison Tables

If users search for comparative queries like “the best noise-cancelling headphones,” then AI Mode presents extensive comparison tables denoting specs, user ratings, prices, and features, thus saving time and effort in deciding.

6. Confidence-Based Visibility

AI Mode analyzes the confidence for each output intelligently. It only triggers in response to a query when a highly confident answer is available; otherwise, users see the expected traditional list of organic web links.

Note:

Al Mode is not always active. Google utilizes the confidence score to consider whether AI should answer the query.

AI Mode will generate a full response in a case of high confidence. In cases of low confidence, the regular search results will be shown instead.

Therefore, a hybrid-assisted model still enhances trust. Google has not dismissed traditional search; it supports it wherever possible.

How Will AI Mode Impact the Future of Search

For SEOs, marketers, and business professionals, AI mode has both pros and cons. On one hand, your content can rank in AI results even if it’s not in the top 10 results of the SERP. On the other hand, it can reduce the number of clicks on external links. With the Google Core update, one thing is clear: Quality is prioritized for ranking better on search engines, including SEO, AI overviews, and AI mode.

1. Reduction in Click-Through Rate of External Websites

When users search for a particular query on Google, they get an AI-generated instant response with linked sources at the top of the page. This means users may not click on external websites, which decreases the click-through rate.

2. Change in Content Discovery

AI mode works under the Gemini 2.0 model, gathering information from valuable sources. It means websites with E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trust) will rank higher in AI-generated answers.

3. A blend of Search and Chat

Currently, AI mode is somewhere between Google Search and Gemini AI Chatbot. Users will therefore experience conversations similar to ChatGPT but within Google’s interface.

4. Strong Focus on Structured Data

Because tables, lists, and schemas are easier for the AI to navigate and reproduce, such content will be richer if offered.

Also Read: Optimizing Enterprise SEO With E-E-A-T: A Definitive Guide

Mastering AI Mode: What Every Business Must Know

SEO is changing much faster than you think. While traditional still works, AI mode offers businesses new tactics for optimizing content that deserve a place in AI-generated results.

1. Create Content That AI Wants To Feature

The responses by AI emphasize being brief, confident, and well-organized. If the context permits, your direct answer to the question should occur in the first 1 or 2 sentences, after which you should provide elaboration, instances, and hyperlinks.

• Include lists and comparison tables because they are easier for Google to interpret.
• Try to include an authoritative answer early in the content.
• Focus on clarity and accuracy rather than just quantity.

2. Prioritize E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust)

With Google’s latest algorithm tweaks, it will only include authoritative and trustworthy sources in its AI-generated results.

• Bring accreditation, experience, and bylines to content (Google favors content written by real experts). For example, a search engine’s land or ResultFirst’s author bio can be very effective.
• Elevate backlinks and mentions via credible sites.
• Use firsthand data, surveys, and case studies.

3. Optimize Content for Conversational and Follow-up Intent

The main purpose of the AI mode is to source follow-up queries, as the nature of search is more inclined towards conversational and intent-driven content. You can add schema markups/structured data, extensive FAQ pages, and targeting specific queries suggested by AI Mode, which will help you maximize your traffic opportunities.

4. Be Ready For The Next Step

Depending on the query, your user might leave the SERP to get the needed information at a certain point. Your job here should be to own the queries and the content that lives in that next step.

• Offer downloadable resources (e.g., case studies, guides).
• Share deeper analysis or opinionated content.
• Drive users to take action: sign up, buy, contact, etc.

Rank Higher in AI-Generated Results With ResultFirst

AI mode is not fully implemented, but it shows potential to blur the line between search engines and AI Chatbots, providing users a more interactive, useful experience.

For users, it simply means: faster, accurate, and more relevant answers.

For business, it means optimizing content to get a place in AI-generated responses.

However, if you want your content to rank in both traditional and AI SEO, it’s always better to partner with an agency like ResultFirst. With years of experience delivering SEO services, we know the tactics to position your brand where it matters the most.

Choose ResultFirst and stay visible, relevant, and competitive in this changing AI-driven search landscape.