Google Expands AI Mode Access with Enhanced Visual Search Features
Google has announced an expansion of its AI Mode feature to millions of new users through its Labs program in the US, following strong positive feedback from early adopters. Initially available to Google One AI Premium subscribers, AI Mode has been praised for its sleek interface, rapid response times, and ability to tackle complex, nuanced queries.
Google reports that queries made in AI Mode are typically twice as long as those in traditional search, indicating users are engaging with more in-depth, open-ended topics such as product comparisons, step-by-step guides, and travel planning.
New Multimodal Capabilities: Search with Images
As part of ongoing improvements, Google is integrating the advanced multimodal capabilities of its Lens technology into AI Mode. This update allows users to take photos or upload images, ask questions about them, and receive detailed, informative responses complete with helpful links for deeper exploration.
Combining Google’s expertise in visual search with the custom power of Gemini AI, AI Mode now interprets the full context of an image. It understands the relationships between objects, as well as their materials, colors, shapes, and spatial arrangements. Using a “query fan-out” approach, AI Mode generates multiple simultaneous queries about the image and its individual components, delivering more thorough and contextually relevant answers than traditional searches.
Also read: Google Unveils Gemini 2.5
For example, if you upload a photo of a bookshelf, AI Mode can accurately identify each book, explore reviews and ratings, and even suggest related titles. The system provides purchase links and enables follow-up questions to refine the search even further, offering a highly personalized and insightful experience.
Google is continuing to refine AI Mode based on user feedback from Labs participants. Users interested in experiencing these cutting-edge capabilities can now sign up through Labs in the Google app, available on Android and iOS devices.
