Google Opens Up AI Mode to Everyone, Adds New Shopping Features
Google is rapidly expanding access to its AI Mode search feature. Just weeks after extending it to more users—and a month after initially offering it to paid subscribers—the company has now removed the waitlist entirely.
Now, anyone in the U.S. who is 18 or older and signed into a personal Google account can enable AI Mode through the Labs settings. Once activated, users can access it directly at google.com/aimode or through a regular Google search by selecting the “AI Mode” option below the search bar.
AI Mode offers a conversational search experience and now comes with new capabilities. Users can revisit and continue past conversations via a new panel on the left side of the screen in desktop browsers. Additionally, Google is integrating AI Mode with local and shopping searches, allowing people to interact with the service to find nearby businesses or browse products.
“With this update, visual cards for places and products will start appearing in AI Mode, making it easier to get detailed information with a tap,” said Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, director of product management for Google Search.
According to Google, local results will show details like ratings, reviews, and business hours. Product searches will display real-time pricing, images, shipping information, current deals, and stock availability. This enhancement is powered by Google’s local business data and its Shopping Graph, which contains over 45 billion listings from retailers worldwide.
However, the rollout hasn’t been universally welcomed. Some publishers are concerned about how AI Mode may affect website traffic. While Google claims its AI Overview boosts clicks to publisher sites, two recent independent studies suggest that fewer users are clicking through after seeing AI-generated summaries.
Yelp and similar platforms, in particular, may find these updates a threat as Google moves further into their territory.
No newer articles found.
