Google AI Mode is revolutionizing web search: AI provides accurate answers and interacts directly. A strategic move to secure Google’s dominance.
Google AI Mode: A new era for search engines?
At I/O 2025, Google unveiled a groundbreaking innovation: “AI Mode,” which has the potential to revolutionize the way we search the internet. This mode transforms the classic search engine into an interactive chatbot that provides comprehensive and detailed answers instead of the usual list of links. This is made possible by the advanced Gemini 2.5 model, which breaks down complex questions into smaller components and thus compiles precise information. This change comes as a direct response to increasing pressure from competitors such as Open AI, which are gaining market share with their AI-powered solutions. Currently, AI mode is only available to users in the US, but Google plans to gradually expand its availability. In addition, Google is introducing an additional feature called “Mariner” that automates complex web tasks such as filling out forms and navigating the internet.
- Google’s AI Mode will initially be launched in the US, and there is no specific information yet on when it will be available in Germany or other European countries. International launches of Google services often depend on various factors, including regulatory approvals, local adaptations, and strategic priorities.
- AI Mode differs from ChatGPT in several key ways. While ChatGPT is designed by OpenAI as a generative AI model that provides comprehensive responses to text queries, AI Mode integrates directly into Google’s search engine technology and offers a combination of AI-powered answers and immediate access to web sources. Google’s AI Mode uses the Gemini 2.5 model, which breaks questions down into sub-questions to provide highly detailed and specific information while integrating relevant web links. This capability allows it to not only provide text-based answers, but also to search and act directly on the internet based on those answers—such as finding products or making purchases.
- Google is taking this strategic step to secure its dominance in the search engine market and meet the challenges posed by emerging AI technologies. With the increasing relevance of AI tools and competition from companies such as OpenAI, it is crucial for Google to offer innovative solutions that go beyond traditional search results. AI Mode is part of a comprehensive strategy to improve the user experience and set new standards in search technology that meet the changing needs of users.
- Google is also developing “Mariner,” a new AI technology that transforms the search engine into an active digital assistant. This AI agent can independently perform tasks for users on the internet: it navigates through websites, fills out forms, and handles complex processes such as finding, booking, and paying for baseball tickets in a single step.
- In a demonstration, Google showed how users can simply give the AI Mode a goal – for example, to get tickets for a specific event – and the AI then carries out all the necessary steps independently. Users can view and control the process at any time. These agentic functions go far beyond classic search and could fundamentally change the way people interact with the internet.
