Google launches AI Mode, marketers ponder impact

Hal Crawford

May 21, 2025 9:46

Google has rolled out a new AI Mode within its main search interface in a radical change that could have big implications for businesses that rely on search traffic.

AI Mode was announced by CEO Sundar Pichai at the Google I/O annual developer conference along with a raft of other AI projects. The tone of the conference and the breadth of projects indicate the search giant has seized back ground in the AI war that has been threatening its core business.

Sundar Pichai at the I/O conference

The AI Mode product – which went live in the US immediately – incorporates a Large Language Model (LLM) and traditional search in a more seamless way than the existing AI Overviews that appear at the top of the search results. It is not the search default but appears as a button in the text dialog box (see launch video at the bottom of the article).

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Hal Crawford

Crawford has worked across news media over a 30-year career, including running Ninemsn editorial in Sydney (editor-in-chief and publisher) and the TV3 newsroom in Auckland (chief news officer).

Topics

AI Mode AI Overviews Gemini Google Google search Paul Hewett Sundar Pichai

1 COMMENTS

Stelios Moudakis, GM SEO - Resolution Digital 21 May 25

AI is moving too fast to sit and ponder. Google are going all in on AI Search with anti-trust rulings looming, ChatGPT rising, TikTok tacking on search.

Personalised, generative search results make rank tracking redundant and these “GEO” tools that record prompts and call it brand tracking are little better. A much needed stir for the industry.

I welcome the evolution of search, agency, website and metrics. Thrilled to be working with our partners on what come next.

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