TL;DR
Google’s AI Mode is an end-to-end AI search experience that goes beyond AI Overviews. It presents a conversational answer with links, supports follow-up questions, and increasingly handles images and multimodal inputs—powered by Gemini and Google Search. It’s rolling out broadly in the U.S. with continued updates. For brands, the implications are clear: ensure your page facts are consistent, structured, and easily citable.
What is Google AI Mode?
AI Mode is Google Search’s conversation-first interface. Instead of a traditional results page, it offers a rich, synthesized answer with links to the web and expects you to keep asking follow-ups. Google describes it as “our most powerful AI search,” with advanced reasoning and multimodality built in. Google.
Unlike earlier experiments (SGE/Labs), Google says AI Mode is rolling out in the U.S. without Labs sign-up, reflecting a mainstream pivot. Coverage and SEO commentary widely frame AI Mode as closer to ChatGPT-style search, where the answer is the product and links provide verification and depth. Google, seo.com.
What can AI Mode do today?
- Conversational follow-ups: Ask clarifying questions and refine scope inside the same thread—“Make it specific to UK small charities,” etc. Google.
- Link-rich answers: Responses include helpful links to original sources so you can dive deeper and validate. Google.
- Multimodal image understanding: Google has expanded image-based queries using Lens + Gemini in AI Mode, letting you upload or take a photo and get an explanation with links (e.g., “recommend similar titles to the book in this photo”). The Verge.
- Reasoning over multiple signals: While details are sparse, Google positions AI Mode as using Gemini alongside the Search index to reason over fresh web content. Google.
Why this matters to non-technical users
- You’ll read one synthesized answer instead of scanning 10 blue links first. That’s a time-saver, but it also means Google’s selection and summarisation shapes what you see.
- Verification is built-in through links. You can click out to original sources, but many users act on the summary itself—so source quality and clarity matter more than ever.
- Follow-ups feel like chat. You can keep narrowing the task (“compare the top three options; show 2025 pricing”) without re-searching.
AEO implications: how to be cited in AI Mode
To increase your odds of being linked in the AI Mode answer:
- Publish ‘answer-ready’ pages with dated, concise facts at the top (pricing, specs, locations). Google’s AI answers draw confidence from pages that are unambiguous and structured.
- Use schema: Organization, Product, FAQ, HowTo, Review where appropriate. While Google doesn’t publish an “AI Mode schema,” well-structured content is easier to validate against other sources.
- Consistency across the web: Cross-check your facts against profiles and directories; AI Mode penalises conflicts during synthesis.
- Readable headings: Clear H2/H3s help Gemini summarise correctly. Avoid burying essentials inside images or late-loaded scripts.
- Images with alt text and captions: Helpful when AI Mode (via Lens) analyses visuals. Provide descriptive alt and relevant captions.
How to use AI Mode effectively
- Start broad, then constrain: “Best beach towns for a February trip from London with direct flights < 5 hours.” Then: “Now limit to families, average hotel under £200.”
- Ask for links and comparisons: “Show me 5 sources you used and a quick comparison table.” (AI Mode will already include links; the prompt nudges structure.)
- Use image queries: Snap a product label or a storefront and ask “Is this brand kid-safe? Find its UK returns policy.” The multimodal pipeline ties Lens to link-rich results. The Verge.
How AI Mode differs from AI Overviews
- Default experience vs. enhancement: AI Overviews appeared above classic results; AI Mode reframes the whole page around the conversation and its linked answer. seo.com.
- Deeper follow-ups: Designed for ongoing chat, not just a one-off overview. Google.
- Stronger multimodality: Expanded image handling and visual reasoning are first-class. The Verge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI Mode available outside the U.S.?
Google’s announcement emphasises a U.S. rollout “starting today” with wider availability following testing. Coverage from SEO commentators suggests global expansion over time, but features often ship U.S.-first. Check your Google app or search settings. Google.
Does AI Mode remove links?
No. It includes helpful links to the web so you can verify and go deeper. The difference is that the answer precedes the links, not the other way around. Google.
Can I use images as queries?
Yes. AI Mode integrates a Lens-Gemini pipeline to interpret images and suggest related answers and sources. The Verge.
How do I get my business included?
Ensure your site is crawlable, facts are consistent, and pages include clear headings and schema. Publish concise “who we are / what we do / pricing / policies” pages and keep them current.
Is AI Mode replacing the classic Google results page?
Google is running both paradigms. AI Mode is a distinct, AI-centric experience; classic results remain widely used. Google.
The bottom line
AI Mode cements a reality: people will read an AI-written answer first and only click when they need proof or depth. If your brand wants to be part of that first impression, make your facts unambiguous, structured, and consistent—and design pages that are easy for Gemini to summarise and cite.
References (Harvard style)
- Google (2025) AI in Search: Going beyond information to intelligence (AI Mode update). Available at: https://blog.google/products/search/google-search-ai-mode-update/
- The Verge (2025) Google’s AI Mode now supports multimodal image queries. Available at: https://www.theverge.com/news/644363/google-search-ai-mode-multimodal-lens-image-recognition
- seo.com (2025) Google AI Mode: What SEOs Need to Know. Available at: https://www.seo.com/ai/google-ai-mode/
- Maia Marketing (2025) AI Mode – framtidens sök. Available at: https://maiamarketing.se/blogg/ai-mode-framtidens-sok/