If you opened Google on Tuesday, you may have noticed a unique twist — instead of its usual cultural or historical Doodle, the tech giant showcased an animated promo for AI Mode, its latest AI-powered search tool. This unusual move aims to direct attention to AI Mode, Google’s Gemini-powered chatbot interface designed to answer complex queries in a conversational format.
What is AI mode, and how does it work?
Google’s AI Mode isn’t brand-new. It was first introduced back in March 2025, appearing alongside regular search results in select countries. However, this is the most visible placement it has received so far.
Powered by Gemini, Google’s most advanced large language model, AI Mode allows users to:
- Ask complex or multi-part questions
- Get in-depth, AI-generated responses
- Interact via text, voice, or even image uploads
The tool is aimed at helping users save time by combining multiple queries into a single detailed result, essentially conversational search.
Google’s big AI push comes amid rising competition
This promotional use of the homepage — normally reserved for tributes — highlights how seriously Google is taking AI adoption. A spokesperson clarified this wasn’t a traditional Doodle, but “just a fun promo” to raise awareness.
Google has also been experimenting with placing AI Mode in prime homepage locations before. In May, the company briefly swapped out the iconic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button for an AI Mode shortcut, signaling its intent to reshape user behavior.
This latest move appears to be part of a broader strategy to compete with rising AI players like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Claude by Anthropic, and Perplexity AI.
Search is evolving: Google wants you to adapt
With this bold homepage takeover, Google is not just advertising a feature — it’s nudging billions of users to engage with a new way to search. As AI becomes more central to the internet experience, AI Mode is Google’s vision of the future: smarter, more intuitive, and powered by Gemini.