Can Google Search New AI Mode really do your task, and what essential secrets unlock its true power?

Is Google’s amazing new AI Search finally available for you, or do disappointing limits still apply?

Google Search is changing in a big way. An intelligent assistant, called AI Mode, is now part of the search experience for many people around the world. It is available in over 180 countries. This is a major expansion from its initial availability in just a few places like the US, UK, and India. This change means that how you find information online may feel very different soon. It moves beyond a simple list of links to a more conversational and helpful tool.

To see this new feature, your device’s language must be set to English. If it is, you may start to see AI-powered summaries at the top of your search results. This is the first sign that you have access to the new AI Mode. This global access marks a significant step in how we interact with search engines.

Understanding the Shift: From Search Engine to Search Assistant

For years, using Google was like using a map. You told it where you wanted to go, and it gave you a list of possible roads. You still had to choose the road and make the journey yourself. Traditional Google Search gives you a list of websites. You must click on them, read the content, and find the answer you need.

The new AI Mode is different. It is more like having a guide who travels with you. This guide does not just show you the map. It understands your question, looks at several of the best roads, and then tells you the best way to get there. Sometimes, it can even take the first few steps for you. When you search in AI Mode, it often gives you a complete summary at the top of the page. It pulls information from multiple websites to create a single, easy-to-read answer. This saves you the time of clicking on many different links. The goal is to give you answers, not just more places to look for them.

A Powerful New Skill: Your AI Can Now Perform Tasks

The most significant update to AI Mode is its ability to do things on your behalf. Think of it as an assistant that can take action. This new capability comes from a Google technology called Project Mariner. It allows the AI to move from simply finding information to actively completing tasks based on your requests. This is where search becomes truly helpful in managing parts of your life.

Imagine you want to go out for dinner. Before, you might search for “Italian restaurants near me.” You would get a list of places from Google Maps and links to their websites or review pages. You would then have to visit those sites or call the restaurants to check for available tables and make a reservation.

With the new AI Mode, the process is much simpler. You can just ask, “Book a table for two at a quiet Italian place for Saturday at 7 PM.” The AI then gets to work in the background.

• It uses Google Search to find relevant Italian restaurants.
• It checks your location and preferences using Google Maps data.
• It analyzes information to find places described as “quiet.”
• It connects with partners like OpenTable and Resy to check for real-time table availability.
• It then presents you with a few options that match your request, right within the search results.

All you have to do is review the options and click to confirm your final choice. The AI handles all the intermediate steps. This same power can apply to other tasks, like booking movie tickets through partners like Ticketmaster or finding an open appointment at a local business using services like Booksy.

Important Things to Know: The Limits on This New Power

These powerful task-oriented features sound great, but they are not available to everyone yet. It is important to understand the current limitations to know what to expect.

Subscription Is Required

The ability for the AI to perform tasks is an exclusive feature. It is only available for subscribers of the Google AI Ultra plan. This is a paid subscription that is part of the Google One family of products. It is not a free feature available to all Google users.

Location Is Limited

For now, these advanced assistant features are only active for subscribers who are in the United States. While the general AI summaries are rolling out globally, the ability for the AI to book reservations or tickets is geographically restricted.

You Must Opt-In

Even if you are a subscriber in the US, this feature is not turned on by default. You must manually enable it. This is done through Google Search Labs, which is a program that lets users try out experimental Google features before they are widely released.

A Smarter Search That Understands You Better

The new AI Mode is also designed to be more personal. It can deliver results that are more tailored to you as an individual. It does this by considering your past activity across Google’s services. Your previous conversations with the AI, your search history, and your interactions on Google Maps can all inform the results you see.

For example, if you frequently search for vegetarian restaurants on Maps and then ask AI Mode for “healthy meal ideas,” it is more likely to suggest plant-based recipes. It learns from your habits to provide more relevant and helpful suggestions. This personalization aims to make every search more effective by understanding the context of what you might be looking for.

You can now also share your AI Mode search results with other people. When you send a shareable link to a friend or family member, they see your initial search and the AI’s answer. More importantly, they can continue the conversation and ask their own follow-up questions. This allows for collaborative planning and information gathering within the same search context. However, like the task-completion features, this sharing ability is currently only available in the US.