Google introduced its AI mode, a Q&A-style search tool, to users in India today. The company said that this tool is still in the experimental stage and users will need to opt in to it through Search Labs.
Once a user has opted in, they can ask queries in English. Google didn’t specify whether it plans to support local languages or when that might be available.
Users can search for answers to complex, multi-part queries such as “My kids are 4 and 7 and have lots of energy. Suggest creative ways to get them active and moving indoors, especially on hot days, without needing a lot of space or expensive toys.” Additionally, users can ask follow-up questions to refine results.
Google started testing AI mode with premium subscribers in the U.S. earlier this year. The company then started broadly rolling out the feature to all U.S. users after its Google IO event. Over time, the company has added a shopping feature, introduced voice and image search support, and introduced ads.
The company said that voice and image search features are supported for users in India, given that voice is a popular mode for search. It added that the AI mode is powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5. The company also noted that early testers of the AI mode are asking 2x to 3x longer queries.
With more than 870 million internet users, India is one of the biggest markets for Google. It also acts as a testing ground for the company to observe how multilingual users use its products.
While Google still has a lion’s share in the search market, people have started using chat-based AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity more in their daily lives. With AI mode, Google wants users who prefer that kind of interface to use its own product.
Apart from AI mode, Google has been pushing products such as AI overviews, which summarize query results for you, in search. The company said in April that more than 1.5 billion people are using AI overviews across the globe. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google’s AI features are hurting publishers, which have seen traffic drop-offs from organic search.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/
