Earlier this month, Google launched a new “AI Mode” for search. Powered by Gemini 2.0, this was designed to offer a mix of AI-powered and conventional search results. The idea is that AI Overviews would offer more accurate and reliable results.
Not only is Google making AI Mode available to everyone, rather than just premium subscribers, Android Authority discovered it’s testing a new way to start AI Mode searches in the Google App.
At the moment, starting a new AI Mode search is a little complicated. All new searches have to be initiated from the Google app home page. Once those search results have loaded, users can choose to turn on the AI Mode filter and ask follow-up questions about that specific topic.
Starting afresh means going back to the home screen and doing it all again, but that may be about to change.
How AI Mode searches could change
As spotted by Android Authority, Google seems to be testing a slightly quicker way to start the process over again. That seems to involve a new shortcut in the top left corner of the results page, featuring a simple square with a pencil inside.
This way, you can start a new AI Mode search on an existing results page, saving you a few precious seconds. It’s not quite the same as starting a brand new Google search, but it beats the current multi-stage method.
Android Authority also notes that Google has included a new AI Mode search history icon. This replaces the old clipboard icon with a larger clock icon incorporating the Gemini star logo.
Sadly, these changes aren’t live for everyone yet, but the fact that they were able to get things up and running suggests the new shortcuts may be arriving in a future update. So if you’re a fan of AI Mode but dislike all the hoops you must go through, keep your Google app updated.
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