AI Mode is Google's conversational AI search, a separate tab on the results page. A Gemini model answers there with a full response, follow-up questions and links, instead of the classic ranked list.
Google introduced it in March 2025 as an expansion of what AI Overviews can do, "with more advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities". Since I/O 2026 the two run as one flow: an overview hands off into an AI Mode conversation.
Free, and not the default. Core AI Mode is free with a Google account.
Google said twice in 2026 that it will not become the Chrome default.
How to open AI Mode
It is already on in supported countries. These are the entry points.
There is nothing to install or enable. In supported countries AI Mode is live by default as a tab in Google Search.
On desktop: the AI Mode tab on any results page, google.com/aimode, or the chip in Chrome's address bar.
On iPhone: the Google app's AI Mode icon, or google.com/aimode in Safari.
On Android: the Google app, the button on Chrome's new-tab page, or follow-ups inside Circle to Search.
Search Live, inside the Google app, holds a spoken conversation and can watch through the camera. It is available everywhere AI Mode is, since March 2026.
There is no account setting to disable AI Mode, and no need for one, because it is a separate tab. AI answers inside the normal results are AI Overviews, which have their own page.
What it costs and which model answers
Free at the core. Paid plans buy frontier models, first access and higher limits.
Core AI Mode is free with a Google account. Agentic restaurant booking has been free in its nine markets since April 2026.
Google AI Pro and Ultra plans buy the extras. Those are Deep Search, first access to features such as Search agents, and higher daily Pro-model limits.
The default model has been Gemini 3.5 Flash everywhere since May 2026. Paid plans can pick newer Flash models as they arrive, tracked on our AI model releases page.
AI Mode vs AI Overviews vs Perplexity vs ChatGPT search
Four AI answer surfaces, on each company's own most recent numbers.
| AI Mode | AI Overviews | Perplexity | ChatGPT search | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Conversational AI tab inside Google Search | AI summary above the regular Google results | Standalone AI answer engine | Web search inside the ChatGPT assistant |
| Where | 200+ countries, about 100 languages | 200+ countries, 40+ languages | Web and mobile apps | Web and mobile apps |
| Cost | Free; frontier models need Pro or Ultra | Free, shown automatically | Free tier; paid plans | Free tier; paid plans |
| Latest scale figure | 1B+ monthly users (May 2026) | 2.5B+ monthly users (May 2026) | 780M queries in May 2025, last disclosed | 1B+ weekly active users (Jul 2026) |
The scale figures are not comparable: monthly users, weekly users and monthly queries measure different things. The sources for each are on our AI search statistics page.
AI Mode's significance is placement, not user count. It puts a ChatGPT-class interface where more than nine in ten searches already happen.
What AI Mode means for your site
Traffic from AI Mode counts as web traffic in Search Console, and it cites different pages from AI Overviews.
AI Mode traffic has counted in Search Console's web totals since June 2025. Since June 2026 Search Console also has Generative AI reports, and every follow-up question counts as a new query.
AI Mode and AI Overviews rarely cite the same page. Ahrefs found the same URL cited by both 13.7% of the time across 540,000 query pairs.
The dated record, from the March 2025 Labs debut to today, is on our AI Mode tracker.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is Google AI Mode free?
Yes, core AI Mode is free with a Google account. Google AI Pro and Ultra plans add Deep Search, first access to new features and higher Pro-model limits.
How do I turn off Google AI Mode?
There is no setting, and none is needed, because AI Mode is a separate tab you can ignore.
AI answers inside the normal results are AI Overviews, a different question with its own page.
What is the difference between AI Mode and AI Overviews?
An AI Overview is a summary above the regular results, shown automatically, while AI Mode is a separate conversational tab. Since I/O 2026 an overview can hand off into an AI Mode conversation.
Which countries have AI Mode?
More than 200 countries and territories in about 100 languages, per Google at I/O 2026. The country-by-country record, including France in July 2026, is on the AI Mode tracker.
Compiled by Claude from primary sources, checked by Akash Mansukhani before publication. See how we source and correct this page.Keywords Everywhere, "What is Google AI Mode?", last updated 6th Sep 2026, https://keywordseverywhere.com/news/google-ai-mode/what-is-ai-mode/