From Keyword Box to AI Mode Command Center
Google is rolling out what it calls the biggest overhaul of Search in 25 years by making Gemini 3.5 Flash the default model behind Google Search AI mode. Instead of treating the search bar as a place to type short queries and click links, Google now positions it as an expandable, conversational workspace. The box stretches to fit long prompts and lets you stay in a chat-style interface, asking follow-up questions without starting over. Under the hood, Gemini 3.5 Flash is optimized for speed and agentic tasks, outperforming the older Gemini 3.1 Pro on coding and automation benchmarks while running up to four times faster than other frontier models. In practice, this means AI search agents can plan, code, and summarize more fluidly, turning Search from a passive lookup tool into an active AI assistant that keeps working after you hit enter.
Multimodal Search Capabilities Turn Queries Into Rich Workflows
Google Search AI mode now behaves like a multimodal command center rather than a simple text input. Powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash, the search field accepts text, images, videos, files, and even live Chrome tabs as input. You might snap a photo of a damaged appliance, paste a PDF estimate from a repair company, and type a follow-up question—then let Search synthesize everything into a clear plan of action. The interface can dynamically generate interactive layouts, pulling in tables, graphs, or simulations as needed. Ask about a complex topic like orbital mechanics, and Search can add an interactive visualization alongside traditional results. This shift in multimodal search capabilities reduces the need to juggle multiple tools or tabs. Instead, data flows into a single AI mode canvas where Gemini can reason across formats and keep context alive as you refine or extend the conversation.
Information Agents That Keep Working After You Close the Tab
The most agent-like addition is Google’s new information agents, AI search agents that operate in the background 24/7. Rather than forcing you to re-run the same search, these agents continuously scan the web, including blogs, news sites, social posts, and real-time feeds like finance, shopping, and sports data. You can, for example, brain dump your exact apartment requirements—budget, neighborhood, pet policy, commute time—and the agent keeps monitoring rental listings, alerting you when something matches. Or you can say, “Keep me updated when any of my favorite athletes announce sneaker collabs or signature drops,” and Search will notify you when a new collaboration appears. These information agents are designed for ongoing projects, turning search from a one-off query into a persistent monitoring layer that quietly tracks what matters to you and surfaces changes as they happen.
Mini Apps and Agentic Coding Inside Search Results
Beyond answering questions, Gemini 3.5 Flash introduces “agentic coding in Search” so you can build mini apps directly from the results page. Google’s Antigravity platform lets Search design generative UIs on the fly—custom layouts with interactive visuals, tables, charts, or simulations assembled in real time. If you frequently plan complex events, manage a move, or track a side project, Search can turn that recurring need into a persistent dashboard. Ask it to create a fitness tracker, and it can code a live tool that pulls in reviews, maps, local weather, and other real-time sources to help structure your routine week after week. These mini apps live inside Search, so you return to the same interactive workspace instead of rebuilding spreadsheets or re-running fragmented searches, effectively turning Google Search into a lightweight, personalized app platform.
Personal Intelligence and Agentic Booking Tie It All Together
To make these agents genuinely useful, Google is expanding Personal Intelligence in AI mode to nearly 200 countries and territories, across 98 languages. Users can connect services like Gmail and Google Photos so Gemini can incorporate personal context—upcoming trips, receipts, past events—when responding. At the same time, Google is deepening agentic booking features. Search can now call businesses on your behalf for home repair, beauty, or pet care appointments, handling details like availability and scheduling based on your preferences. AI Overviews now hand off seamlessly into AI mode when you ask follow-up questions, removing the friction between static summaries and conversational agents. Taken together—multimodal inputs, persistent information agents, mini apps, and personal context—Google Search AI mode is shifting from a web index into an active AI assistant that both finds information and completes tasks without forcing you to leave the search experience.