Google Embeds AI Chatbot Into Search Amid Rising Competition.
Google has launched a new AI-powered mode for its search engine, integrating conversational chatbot capabilities directly into the core of its platform. The feature, dubbed “AI Mode,” was rolled out in the United States on Tuesday and is now visible as an option within Google’s search bar.
Announced at Google’s annual developer conference in Mountain View, California, the move signals a dramatic shift in how the tech giant envisions the future of search. Rather than simply returning a list of web pages, Google’s aim is to give users the experience of having a dialogue with an expert.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google’s parent company Alphabet, described the update as a milestone:
“With more advanced reasoning, you can ask AI both longer and more complex queries.”
He called the change a sign of a “new phase of the AI platform shift,” as the company looks to reassert dominance in a space that has been rapidly transformed by generative AI tools like ChatGPT.
Expanding the AI Footprint
Beyond search, Google also unveiled several AI-driven initiatives, including a fresh attempt at smart glasses and plans to offer an AI subscription service. Its new augmented reality glasses, developed in partnership with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, will feature a camera, microphone, and speakers. The company expects to begin building prototypes later this year.
The announcement marks a return to wearable tech more than a decade after the much-hyped but ultimately unsuccessful launch of Google Glass. With this second attempt, Google is positioning itself to compete with Meta’s AI-enabled Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Industry analysts viewed the developments as inevitable.
“For the end user, this should mean less time spent browsing the web itself, and more time spent talking with Google's AI tools,”
said Leo Gebbie, principal analyst and director for the Americas at CCS Insight.
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He noted that embedding AI more tightly into Google’s ecosystem had long been anticipated. Still, the implications could be vast — especially given that search is responsible for the majority of Google’s revenue.
Cory Johnson, chief market strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research, pointed out a looming paradox in Google’s strategy:
“Google is getting more efficient at answering questions, but less efficient at generating clicks – and clicks is how they get paid.”
This shift, while potentially improving the user experience, may undercut the very business model that made Google a digital juggernaut.
Growing Pains and Public Backlash
Google’s AI journey hasn’t been without its stumbles. The AI Overviews feature — which provides AI-generated summaries at the top of search results — has faced ridicule since its debut last year.
Social media users shared bizarre and incorrect suggestions produced by the tool, such as telling users that non-toxic glue could help cheese stick to pizza, or that geologists recommend eating one rock a day. Google defended the tool at the time, calling the misfires “isolated examples.”
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Despite the hiccups, Pichai remained upbeat, revealing that AI Overviews now see 1.5 billion uses per month across more than 200 countries.
“It’s one of the most successful launches in search in the past decade,”
he said, adding that the feature is driving more than 10% growth in complex queries in key markets like the US and India.
The Risk of Reinventing the Wheel
Google's aggressive AI push comes at a critical moment. The company is currently embroiled in a landmark antitrust lawsuit in the US over its dominance in search — a battle that could force structural changes to its business.
While the introduction of AI Mode and smart glasses may signal ambition, they also raise deeper concerns: Is Google improving the search experience, or is it eroding its core value — helping users access diverse, trustworthy information?
If AI chatbots begin answering most queries directly, users may have fewer reasons to visit websites — a change that could harm publishers, content creators, and ultimately Google’s own advertising ecosystem.
And if the past mishaps of AI Overviews are any indication, the technology is still far from foolproof.
In its race to keep up with rivals like ChatGPT, Google may be sacrificing accuracy and trust in favor of flashier, less transparent AI interactions. The ambition is clear — but so is the risk. As the company barrels ahead with its AI-first strategy, the question remains: will users, and the web itself, benefit in the long run?
