A new era for AI Search

Key Takeaways

→ AI Mode surpassed 1 billion monthly users; queries more than doubled every quarter, and Search queries hit an all-time high last quarter

→ Gemini 3.5 Flash is now the default model for AI Mode globally

→ The new intelligent Search box is the biggest Search box upgrade in over 25 years, rolling out to all countries where AI Mode is available

→ Information agents run 24/7 in the background and launch this summer for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers

→ Generative UI in Search is free for everyone this summer; custom mini apps start with US Pro and Ultra subscribers

→ Personal Intelligence in AI Mode expands to nearly 200 countries in 98 languages, with Gmail and Google Photos connections and no subscription

Google called it a new era for AI Search at I/O 2026: AI Mode has passed 1 billion monthly users one year after launch, and Search is being rebuilt around models that can answer, act, and even build. The goal, in Google’s words, is bringing together the best of a search engine with the best of AI.

Powerful AI, Right in Search

Starting May 19, Gemini 3.5 Flash becomes the default model in AI Mode for everyone globally. Alongside it, Google is introducing the biggest upgrade to the Search box in over 25 years — an intelligent box that expands to accept text, images, files, videos, and Chrome tabs, with AI-powered suggestions that go beyond autocomplete. Follow-ups now flow seamlessly between AI Overviews and AI Mode, on desktop and mobile, worldwide.

Search Agents

Google calls this the era of Search agents. Information agents run 24/7 in the background, scanning the web plus fresh finance, shopping, and sports data, and they send synthesized updates you can act on — like notifying you the moment a sneaker drop lands. They launch first for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers this summer.

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Agentic Coding in Search

Search is gaining the agentic coding power of Antigravity and Gemini 3.5 Flash. It can assemble custom layouts — interactive visuals, tables, graphs, and simulations — in real time, free for everyone this summer. For ongoing tasks, Search builds custom mini apps like a fitness tracker that taps live maps, reviews, and local weather to keep working week after week.

Expanded Personal Intelligence

Personal Intelligence in AI Mode expands to nearly 200 countries and territories across 98 languages, with no subscription. Users can securely connect Gmail and Google Photos — and soon Google Calendar — while staying in control of when apps are connected, with transparency and choice at the core.

What This Means

The reimagined Search box, agents, and generative UI mark Search’s pivot from retrieving answers to completing tasks. With AI Mode at a billion users and queries at an all-time high, Google is betting that an agentic Search can keep growing even as conversational assistants multiply.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people use AI Mode in Google Search?

AI Mode surpassed 1 billion monthly users just one year after launch, with queries more than doubling every quarter. Google says last quarter's overall Search queries reached an all-time high.

What is new in Google Search at I/O 2026?

Google introduced a new AI-powered Search box that accepts text, images, files, videos, and Chrome tabs, switched AI Mode to Gemini 3.5 Flash, launched 24/7 information agents, added agentic coding that builds mini apps with Antigravity, and expanded Personal Intelligence.

When will information agents launch in Search?

Information agents launch first for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers this summer. They monitor the web plus fresh finance, shopping, and sports data in the background and send synthesized updates with action links.

What is Personal Intelligence in Search?

Personal Intelligence lets you securely connect apps like Gmail and Google Photos — and soon Google Calendar — to AI Mode in Search so answers can use your personal context. It expands to nearly 200 countries and 98 languages with no subscription required.