Stop typing short queries—Google now answers the whole story in one go.
What Happened
Google has rolled out its experimental AI Mode in Search to Indian users via Search Labs, just two days after its U.S. debut moved out of closed testing. The feature lets you ask longer, multi-part questions through text, voice, or images and receive an AI-generated overview with sources in seconds.
This isn’t just another search update. It’s a complete shift toward conversational discovery that could reshape how India’s massive internet population finds information.
When & Where
Launched: June 24, 2025
Availability: Google app and desktop Chrome in India (English only) under the Labs beaker icon
The rollout follows Google’s pattern of testing features in the U.S. before expanding to key markets. India’s inclusion this early signals the country’s strategic importance for Google’s AI ambitions.
Who’s Behind It
Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai previewed AI Mode at Google I/O 2025 before this week’s wider release. The feature builds on Google’s existing AI Overviews infrastructure, which already reaches 1.5 billion users monthly worldwide.
Why It Matters
India hosts the world’s second-largest internet population. Giving those users multimodal, conversational answers could reshape how people—and brands chasing them—discover information, shop, and plan their lives.
The stakes are massive: early Indian testers are already typing questions 2-3 times longer than normal searches, suggesting a fundamental shift in search behavior is underway.
Key Highlights
Multimodal Input: Query by text, voice, or image via Google Lens integration
Advanced Reasoning: Breaks complex prompts into sub-topics using “query fan-out” technology before stitching together a single comprehensive answer
Conversational Follow-ups: AI remembers context, suggests next questions, and properly cites its sources
Smart Personalization: Recommendations adapt to your recent searches with opt-in controls
Video courtesy: Google YouTube Channel
Other Notables
Early Indian testers are asking questions 2-3 times longer than traditional search queries, indicating users are embracing the conversational approach. AI Overviews already reach 1.5 billion users per month worldwide—AI Mode builds directly on that proven foundation.
How It Compares
Traditional Google Search surfaces blue links first. AI Mode synthesizes an answer upfront, similar to—but deeper than—the AI Overviews launched in the U.S. last month.
Competing chat-style engines like Perplexity and Bing Copilot offer comparable summaries, but they lack Google’s Knowledge Graph scale and real-time data integration.
Quotes
“We want finding and understanding information to feel effortless for everyone in a country as diverse as India.” — Google Search Blog post
“Google admits AI Mode won’t nail every answer yet; users should treat it as a work-in-progress and keep giving feedback.” — Moneycontrol tech analysis
Market Reaction & Risks
Social Response: X and Reddit reactions skewed positive within hours, with users praising the depth for trip-planning and product comparisons.
Stock Impact: No material jump in Alphabet’s stock yet, suggesting investors already priced in the wider AI push.
Key Risks: Occasional hallucinations remain a concern, along with heightened data-privacy scrutiny. India’s evolving AI guidelines could also tighten transparency requirements for AI-generated content.
Final Takeaway
If you’re an Indian marketer, developer, or everyday searcher, AI Mode should be on your radar today. Opt in via Labs, test those multi-clause questions, and see whether Google’s new approach can actually trim your research time—before your competitors figure it out.
The truth is: this could be the biggest shift in how Indians search since mobile internet arrived.
Sources:
- Source: Google Blog, June 24, 2025
- Source: The Economic Times, June 24, 2025
- Source: Moneycontrol, June 24, 2025
- Source: SearchEngineLand, June 24, 2025