Google has launched a new AI mode for Search in India, with support for voice and image input
Google has launched AI Mode in Google Search in India, the first international expansion of the feature. It supports image-based queries and voice input with Google Lens. Based on the Gemini 2.5 model, the feature is available in Search Labs. It is available on desktop and Google app.
Google is expanding AI Mode on Google Search to India. This is an international expansion of the feature. Google, with headquarters in Mountain View, California, introduced the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven search experience to limited US users in March and to all US users on Google I/O day, May. This AI Mode version of the search experience does not have a two-way, real-time voice conversation experience, called Search Live. However, there is an inbuilt feature on Google Lens for Indian users to come up with image-based queries.
In a blog post, the tech giant announced the rollout of the AI feature. Currently, it is available as part of Search Labs, which hosts experimental features for Google Search. Users can turn on AI Mode from the website after registering for it. Once activated, users will see the new AI Mode below the search box on the results page. It is now part of different sections and is placed on the leftmost side, before the All and News sections.
Google highlighted that AI Mode runs on a custom version of the Gemini 2.5 Large Language Model (LLM), and has native thinking (reasoning) capabilities. This means that the feature will automatically use more compute to find responses to complex queries. Notably, the feature uses the company's query fan-out technique, which allows AI Mode to break down queries into subtopics and run multiple searches for them simultaneously.
AI Mode is currently available via the website view and the Google app on desktop. Apart from this, users can click a photo of an object through Google Lens and redirect that image through AI Mode to get more comprehensive answers. The search tool also supports voice as input, and users can speak instead of typing their queries.
Apart from this, a report by 9to5Google stated that the feature is getting an upgrade in the US version. Google is now suggesting prompts to AI Mode users based on their search history. This means that users will now see prompt suggestions based on their recently searched topics, making these prompts more relevant. It is being said that whenever a user visits the 'Meet AI Mode' page through the Google app, search widget or Pixel Launcher shortcut, these prompts are refreshed.
