Google unveils experimental AI search for premium users
AI Mode offers detailed summaries with cited sources, replacing standard search results for Google One AI Premium subscribers.
Google has introduced an experimental version of its search engine that removes the traditional 10 blue links in favour of AI-generated summaries.
The new ‘AI Mode’ is available to subscribers of Google One AI Premium, a $19.99 per month plan, and can be accessed through a tab alongside existing options like Images and Maps.
Users will see a detailed AI summary with hyperlinks to cited sources, replacing standard search results with a search bar for follow-up questions.
The feature is powered by a customised version of Google’s Gemini 2.0 model, designed to handle complex queries more effectively.
AI Overviews, which provide summaries atop search results, are already available in over 100 countries, with advertisements integrated into them since last May. Google says the new AI-driven approach responds to demand from “power users” seeking more AI-generated responses.
As Google pushes deeper into AI-powered search, it faces competition from Microsoft-backed OpenAI, which introduced search capabilities to ChatGPT last October.
The shift has raised concerns among content creators, with edtech company Chegg suing Google in February, alleging that AI previews are reducing demand for original content and hurting publishers’ ability to compete.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
About author
DW Team
The GIP Digital Watch Observatory team, consisting of over 30 digital policy experts from around the world, excels in the fields of research and analysis on digital policy issues. The team is backed by the creative prowess of Creative Lab Diplo and the technical expertise of the Diplo tech team.
