Google has begun testing a streamlined AI search experience that merges its AI Overviews with conversational AI Mode, allowing users to shift seamlessly from initial answers into deeper, back-and-forth exploration. The update is rolling out globally on mobile devices, removing the need to choose between a traditional search query and a Gemini-powered chat session at the outset.
AI Mode, which launched in the U.S. in May and expanded worldwide in August, enables users to query Google’s Gemini AI in a conversational interface similar to ChatGPT. Previously, users had to manually switch into the AI Mode tab to begin a dialogue. Now, when Search displays an AI-generated overview at the top of results, users can immediately continue asking follow-up questions from the same screen.
The move comes as Google intensifies its competition with OpenAI, which is currently prioritizing improvements to its core chat experience. Gemini now reaches more than 650 million monthly users, while AI Overviews see usage from over 2 billion people each month. By unifying the two features, Google aims to remove friction in everyday information seeking and strengthen Gemini’s position as the AI companion embedded directly in Search.
