Earlier this week, Google launched a new AI feature for search in India, and it’s a pretty big deal. This new feature is called “AI Mode,” and it’s part of Google Labs, which means it’s still in testing. But, Google is putting a lot of effort into it, and there’s a good reason why.

Why Is Google Doing This Now?

For the longest time, searching online meant typing in some words in a textbox and getting a list of websites as results. But now, things are changing fast because of AI. Apps like ChatGPT have gotten incredibly popular. For context, according to one report, by April 2025 ChatGPT was the fifth most visited website in the world. Also, ChatGPT can search the web with a special search feature which was introduced in October last year. There’s also Perplexity AI, which gives you direct answers instead of just links. People are starting to expect quick answers, not just a bunch of websites to check. This is making things tough for Google, which has for long been a market leader in search. And AI Mode expands on the capabilities of AI Overviews(a controversial feature launched last year) by offering deeper reasoning, multimodal input , and the ability to explore related topics through sub-searches. It looks like Google is compelled to infuse search with AI given how things are shaping up in Big Tech.

What Is Google’s AI Mode?

Google’s AI Mode is a new way to search. Instead of just getting links, you can ask a question and get an answer from Google’s AI aka Google Gemini. You can even ask follow-up questions, and Google will keep the conversation going. It will also show you helpful links if you want to learn more. Behind the scenes, Google is using its Gemini AI models, which are already being used by over 1.5 billion users every month in more than 200 countries. That makes Google Search the biggest AI-powered search product in the world. Google is also using other AI features like Google Lens (for pictures) and Circle to Search (where you circle something on your screen and search for it). These are already popular, with Google Lens handling over 100 billion visual searches and Circle to Search available on more than 250 million Android phones. One big change is that Google will be putting ads inside the results generated in AI mode. So, if you ask for the best smartphone, you might see a sponsored suggestion right in the answer itself. This is a big deal for companies that advertise on Google and for the way users deal with AI altogether.

Why Is Google Focusing on India?

India is a huge market for Big Tech. Right now, there are over 800 million people using the internet in India, and that number is growing fast. What’s interesting is that more people are coming online from rural areas than from cities, and they’re joining at twice the speed of city users. This is primarily because of improved access, cheaper smartphones, and government initiatives, among other factors. People in India are also spending a lot of time online- about 90 minutes a day on average. Most of them use local languages: 98% of internet users use content in Indian languages, and 57% of city users prefer content in their own language. This is perhaps why Google is testing AI Mode in India. By making search more conversational and supporting more languages, Google can reach more people. More people means more data and larger datasets are like fodder for LLMs.

What Does This Mean for Users and Businesses?

For regular users, this means search will get a lot smarter and more helpful. For businesses and marketers, it means ads will start appearing inside the AI answers. This is a big change, and companies will need to think differently about how they get noticed online. Credible and trustworthy content will become more important than ever. Premium AI service subscriptions might become the norm to avoid the incessant ads and enjoy a clutter free, objective user experience.

The Future of Search

Google’s launch of AI Mode in India is a big move in the fight for the future of search. By using its massive user base, strong AI technology, and nuanced understanding of the Indian market, the company is trying to stay ahead of its competitors. With talks of rivals Apple and Meta in the race to acquire Perplexity, the global rollout of AI mode might prove to be crucial if Google wants to remain the preferred search engine in India and around the world.