Google AI Mode: What’s That and How It Affects Your Traffic

For everyone who’s talking about how Google search is dead, here’s a new one: Google just released the AI Mode for all US users starting May 20, 2025.

This new mode, built on Google’s Gemini 2.5 model, allows users to run deep, AI-powered searches in a new tab — a step-up from their AI Overviews. 

It can do a lot, like find you the best available game tickets or help you with online shopping. And, like any other AI-based search, the AI mode intends to provide satisfactory answers to such queries without even a single “click.”

Yes, it’s super cool. But what is AI mode, exactly? How can you access it, and what are all the possibilities? Let’s find out. 

What is Google AI Mode?

Google AI Mode is a new tab within Google Search that uses generative AI to provide more in-depth and conversational answers to complex user queries.

You can ask it to plan a multi-city vacation, compare laptops based on specific needs, or even help you brainstorm dinner ideas based on dietary restrictions and what’s in your fridge. 

Instead of pointing you to multiple websites where you need to do your own research, AI Mode attempts to synthesize the answer directly. 

It pulls from various sources across the web (though it rarely shows exactly which ones) and gives you one complete response, saving all your research time. Bonus points: the UI is also pretty good.

Here’s the AI mode in action:

Unlike AI overviews, which simply display an AI-generated short summary or highlights of other search results, the AI mode takes over the entire search experience. 

With AI Mode enabled, you’re essentially entering a new kind of Google Search — one where you are motivated to stay within the interface. 

It opens in a new tab, so you don’t see the traditional blue links. You can ask follow-up questions, get contextual suggestions, and interact with the AI like a chatbot. And this matters, because it shifts the user’s behavior from clicking through to other websites to simply staying within Google’s ecosystem.

Plus, its use is not limited to search. 

What can you do with Google’s AI Mode?

In its current form, the AI Mode already does a lot — and not just for search. Google’s still rolling out new features for AI Mode, so expect more capabilities in the coming months. 

Here’s what you’ll get access to soon:

1. Deep Search

Got a complex query that needs more than a few quick links? AI Mode runs hundreds of behind-the-scenes searches to build a fully-cited, detailed response. Think of it like having an on-demand researcher in your browser.

2. Live Search (with your camera)

Thanks to Google’s Project Astra, you can now point your phone’s camera at stuff — like a houseplant, a math equation, or a product on a shelf — and ask what it is or how it works. It’s Search, but visual and instant.

3. Task assistant

Looking for event tickets? Booking a dinner reservation? AI Mode can handle basic tasks like these inside the search flow. It gives you options, filters them based on your preferences, and helps you take action — no app-switching required.

4. Personalized answers

AI Mode can use your past search history (and optionally Gmail or other Google apps) to tailor responses to your context. If you’ve been looking at hiking trips, expect smarter follow-up suggestions. It’s subtle, but it makes search feel more relevant.

5. Custom charts and graphs

Got a data-heavy question? AI Mode can turn your query into interactive charts and visual summaries — super useful for topics like sports stats, finance, or market trends. No more digging through spreadsheets.

6. AI-powered shopping

Shopping becomes a conversation. You can describe what you’re looking for — “white sneakers under $100 with good arch support” — and the AI helps narrow things down. You can even do virtual try-ons in some cases.

How to access AI Mode?

If you’re in the U.S., you might already see it.

You don’t need to install anything or switch browsers — just head to Google.com, and look closely at the top of the page. You’ll notice a new “AI Mode” tab in the search bar. Click that, and you’re in.

It opens in a separate tab, replacing the usual list of links with a cleaner, AI-powered interface.

Want early access to new features (and a way to give Google feedback)? You can also opt in through Search Labs:

1. Make sure you’re signed in to your Google account.
   
2. Go to Search Labs.
   
3. Toggle on AI Mode under the experiments list.
   

Once enabled, your search bar gets a slight makeover — with options to switch between classic search and AI Mode on the fly.

Worth noting: This is still an experimental rollout, so not all users may see the same features right away. Google tends to A/B test heavily, and some capabilities (like camera-based search or full personalization) may take time to reach everyone.

What does this mean for SEO?

It’s no surprise that AI Mode is going to change SEO — and in two major ways.

First, it’s doing exactly what AI Overviews started: giving users direct, AI-synthesized answers. That means fewer people are clicking on traditional blue links. When the answer is right there, why scroll?

Second, even if users do click a link from the AI output, you can’t track it. Results from AI Mode aren’t showing up in Google Search Console. They don’t count toward impressions, you don’t see clicks, and there’s no way to tell if your content was used in the summary at all.

This seems to be temporary, as Google’s AI Features documentation mentions that AI Mode clicks are measurable:

Maybe better tracking is coming. But for now, it’s basically an SEO blind spot.

So how can you prepare as a marketer?

The best bet? Start optimizing for AI visibility, not just search engine rankings. You’re no longer just writing for crawlers — you’re writing to be summarized by generative engines and AI, and this includes Google’s AI Mode.

We’ve put together a guide on how to stay visible in generative engine results to help you get started.

And while we wait around for more updates from Google, use our Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tool to:

• Monitor your brand’s presence in AI-generated answers
  
• Optimize content for Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI engines
  
• Ensure your content gets surfaced even outside the blue links

Final Thoughts: Google’s AI Mode Might Be Trackable in the Near Future

But, what till then? Google’s AI Mode isn’t just another feature update — it’s a full-blown shift in how search works. The search result page as we know it, is disappearing behind AI-generated answers. And with it, the visibility that marketers and SEOs have spent decades chasing.

Yes, Google might roll out better tracking soon. Yes, Search Console may eventually catch up. But waiting isn’t a strategy — especially when Google isn’t the only one introducing AI in search.

If your content isn’t being surfaced in AI responses, it’s not being seen. And if you’re not tracking your presence across these new generative engines, you’re flying blind.

Start optimizing for generative engines today and sign up for our Generative Engine Optimization tool to track your brand’s visibility.

Niyati Mahale

Niyati Mahale is a Content Writer @Writesonic. She specializes in artificial intelligence and B2B, with a flair for combining effective storytelling and SEO best practices to create impactful content.