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Here's how you'll access Search's upcoming AI Mode (APK teardown)
- Google is working on a new AI Mode for Google Search, which presumably will allow users to interact with Search more conversationally.
- We managed to activate the AI Mode button for Search and the Search widget.
Google has invested deeply in AI with Gemini and packaged it in wrappers like Gemini Live and AI Overviews. But apparently, Google needs more AI wrappers, as it has been spotted working on AI Mode for Google Search to bring some of its recent progress with conversational AI assistants to the search engine. This AI mode presumably lets users build context and refine their search queries with follow-up responses. To simplify the process, Google is adding a new button to allow quick access to AI mode.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
We managed to activate the UI for Google’s upcoming AI Mode for Search in the latest Google app v15.49.40 beta. This is what it looks like:
Unfortunately, tapping the button crashes the app as the feature is not completely built out yet.
A shortcut for the AI mode is also being added to the Google Search widget. Tapping the AI mode shortcut icon opens the search tab in the Google App for now, though it should ideally open up further AI mode functionality once the feature is fully developed.
Eagle-eye readers would spot the curiously new icon in the top left corner. It looks related to a conversation history button, but we can’t say for sure what it is for.
The AI Mode feature remains a work in progress, so we’re left guessing what Google’s endgame is with yet another AI feature for Google Search. We hope to learn more in the coming days, and we’ll keep you informed.