Google is turning its search box into an AI front door. At I/O, the company said Search now uses Gemini 3.5 Flash as the default model worldwide, while the box itself has been redesigned to help people describe what they want instead of poking at a few keywords and hoping for the best.
The timing is not subtle. AI Mode has crossed above one billion monthly users a year after launch, which gives Google a very loud excuse to push the feature deeper into everyday search. The company is also widening access to a more conversational experience across desktop and mobile, globally, because apparently typing ”best pizza” and getting on with your life was too low-tech.
What the new Google search box can do
The updated Google search box is meant to expand as you type, give more room for longer requests, and use AI-powered suggestions to help shape the query. Google says it can take text, images, files, videos, and even Chrome tabs as input, which makes it less of a search field and more of a universal ”ask anything” box.
- Gemini 3.5 Flash is now the default model in Google Search worldwide.
- AI Mode is rolling out in all countries and languages where it is available.
- Search works across desktop and mobile.
- Text, images, files, videos, and Chrome tabs can all be used as inputs.
AI Mode, agents and the push beyond search
Google is also leaning harder into agentic features, a move that looks like a direct answer to rivals such as OpenAI and Perplexity, both of which have been trying to make search feel more task-driven. For Google, that means less ”here are ten blue links” and more ”I can keep working on this while you do something else.”
Search agents for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers are due this summer, and they are meant to run in the background 24/7 to keep users updated on what matters most. In the US, agentic booking is also expanding this summer to cover local experiences and services, including calls to businesses in select categories like home repair and beauty.
Personal Intelligence in AI Mode is reaching more people in about 200 countries and territories in 98 languages without a subscription, and users can connect Gmail and Google Photos. That broad reach is probably the real story here: Google is trying to make AI search feel less like a premium demo and more like the default way the web is used.
Google Search AI rollout and wider availability
The bet is simple. If Google can make the search bar understand intent, ingest more kinds of content, and handle follow-up work without friction, it can keep users inside its own ecosystem even as AI assistants get more capable. The open question is how much people will accept a search experience that does more work for them, especially when the old version was already fast enough for millions of daily searches.