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Google's AI Mode is Sarah Shevon Archivesmorphing into a search function you can talk to.

On Wednesday, the search giant introduced a new Search Live voice feature for the AI search tool, which combines Google Search with the AI chatbot experience. This was previewed at Google I/O as Project Astra from the Google DeepMind team. The demo features a bike mechanic "going live" with the research prototype on his phone and asking it to look up specific information from a user manual. The feature launching today is the voice part, but Google says live camera support will launch in the "coming months."

Google also added that when you've activated Search Live, it works in the background of your phone, so you can keep talking to it and searching even while you're using other apps.

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A version of this voice mode already exists in the Gemini app, called Gemini Live. But starting today, the underlying Gemini voice capability comes directly to search. Search Live with voice input is available in the Google mobile app for Android and iOS. That said, users have to be based in the U.S. and enrolled in the AI Mode experiment in Labs to try it out.

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Note: AI Mode is live and open to the public, but you need to opt into the AI Mode Labs experiment in order to access Search Live.

At this year's Google I/O, the company officially ushered in a new era of search with the public release of AI Mode. But this has been building for a while. It started with AI Overviews, grew with an AI-generated version of the People Also Ask (PAA) feature, and now includes AI Mode, which is a chatbot interface right within the search page. Google Search is turning into a place not to find links to sites with the information you need, but an AI-powered search engine that looks more like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Meanwhile, this is throttling traffic to outbound sites, according to publishers.

With expanded capabilities like voice support and camera support soon to come, Google looks to make AI Mode more than a search tool, but an AI companion. "This is perfect for when you're on the go or multitasking, like if you're packing for a trip," said Google in the announcement. You can verbally ask it for tips on how to prevent clothes from getting wrinkled in a suitcase, for example.

AI Mode at work searching for sites with packing tips. Credit: Google

Once you're enrolled in the AI Mode experiment in Labs, you can try out Search Live in the Google app by tapping the new icon directly under the search bar.

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