Google reintroduces search with AI mode, shifting focus from links to conversations

Google, long known for its dominant search engine that delivered simple lists of links, is now shifting its focus toward artificial intelligence as the future of online search.

On May 20, the company announced the launch of a new feature called AI Mode, which transforms the traditional search experience into an interactive chatbot-like tool.

Users can ask questions, follow up for more details, and receive comprehensive answers powered by Google’s AI technology.

"It's a total reimagining of search," said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, during a press briefing ahead of the company’s annual developer conference.

He added that tests of the feature showed people had "dramatically changed the nature of how they are interacting with search."

The AI Mode rollout is part of a broader push by Google to introduce new AI capabilities, including more personalized and automated email responses and a shopping feature that can automatically buy clothing when it goes on sale.

Google’s move comes as the company aims to stay ahead of emerging AI competitors that threaten its core search business.

The company declared a “code red” two years ago after the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which sparked a wave of generative AI integration across tech products.

Despite the urgency, Google has been cautious in fully embracing AI, largely because its search engine generated nearly $200 billion in revenue last year, accounting for more than half of the company’s total sales.

Google’s reputation has relied on providing reliable and accurate answers, a strength that AI still struggles to match.

AI systems can sometimes produce incorrect or even absurd responses; one of Google’s AI systems infamously recommended eating rocks last year.

The rising use of AI may already be impacting Google’s search traffic. During testimony in a Justice Department antitrust case against Google this May, Apple executive Eddy Cue noted that Google search traffic declined for the first time in 22 years, attributing the drop to increased AI usage.

Google, however, maintains it continues to "see overall query growth" in its search engine.

Industry experts recognize Google’s shift as both necessary and uncomfortable.

"They hesitated on this for a long time because they didn't think the quality was good or know how to monetize it," said Pete Meyers, principal innovation architect at Moz, a company specializing in search engine optimization. "Now they're doing what they think they have to do to compete, and it's uncomfortable."