For those of us in the digital space, the AI revolution has been a very mixed experience. On one hand, these new technologies have allowed businesses to streamline their internal operations, providing a level of efficiency unmatched in the digital age. On the other hand, the push towards LLMs and other chat-based systems has left many businesses unsure of how to proceed, with systems like AI Overview leading to less clicks and reduced visibility for many businesses relying on organic search for their sales.
Now, with Google rolling out AI Mode, an evolution of the company’s existing Gemini AI system, businesses may be seeing changes in how audiences interact with their products and services. At Trafficon Digital, we have worked with a variety of businesses in the AI and tech spaces, and naturally, our goal is to keep our clients up-to-date with the latest trends in search to ensure they maintain their positions as competitive forces in their respective industries.
So, it’s important that we come with the facts, and provide you with a breakdown of what we’re likely to see from Google’s AI Mode moving forward.
Google & AI: A Little Backstory
Google’s AI Overviews, launched last year, already shook things up by making search more intuitive and conversational. The system felt like an evolution of the existing rich snippet function, which would pull through relevant information from a website based on a users specific search. This is part of what led blogging to become such a viable SEO ranking factor, as it allowed for those providing niche information to have their knowledge take up a large portion of the search space on page 1.
AI Overview works in a similar way, but takes from a variety of sources to attempt to provide a more comprehensive level of information, to varying levels of success. Many of you reading would be well aware of Gemini’s penchant for fabricating or “dreaming” information, such as its recommendation to add glue to cheese on pizza.
However, at the same time, it is a powerful piece of technology, and one that feels inevitable given that AI is the first real search alternative to gain traction in a space dominated by the monolith that is Google, even if it’s not set to outright replace the search juggernaut.
This does then raise the question of what direction Google is taking its search functions, and what a Google-backed alternative to something like OpenAI will look like.
So, What Does AI Mode Bring to the Table?
Now, AI Mode aims to take the Google AI experience to the next level, according to the blogs the Google team themselves have released. Already rolled out in the U.S. now with no Google Labs sign-up needed, AI Mode touts itself as Google’s most advanced search experience yet, powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5, touted as their smartest AI model to date.
The goal is a supercharged search engine that doesn’t just fetch results but “reasons” through your queries, handles multimodal inputs (text, images, and more), and dives deeper into the web with a technique called “query fan-out.” This breaks your question into subtopics, running multiple searches at once to unearth hyper-relevant content.
For those that are familiar with AI search systems, all of these promises will seem quite familiar, as they ring with the same ideals as Open AI’s ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and X’s Grok. Time will tell how the new Google system differs from these in terms of its reasoning capabilities, but really to focus too hard on the similarities with other systems may be missing the bigger picture.
Why Does This Matter?
For users, it means getting answers that feel like they were crafted just for you, complete with follow-up question support and links to explore further. For businesses, it’s likely to be a bit of a wake-up call: your content needs to be laser-focused and authoritative to stand out in this AI-driven landscape. Early data shows AI Overviews already boosted search usage by over 10% in markets like the U.S. and India, even as it has reduced overall click-through rates for many businesses, and AI Mode is poised to amplify that trend.
From a marketing perspective, much of this reads as Google preempting its own potential for obsolescence, and deciding to be the thing that replaces itself, which isn’t the worst move in the world. By offering both AI search and the traditional search experience, they cater to markets both acclimated and emerging in terms of the search zeitgeist, and it’s how this balance will be achieved that offers the most uncertainty.
With that said, AI Mode is more than just a chatbot approach to search, and Gemini is doing quite a bit to make itself stand out from its alternatives in the form of additional experimental tools.
Deep Search: Your Research Sidekick
Ever spent hours piecing together info from scattered web sources? AI Mode’s Deep Search feature aims to solve that in a similar way to the comparable Grok deep search feature. Designed for power users, it uses query fan-out on steroids, issuing hundreds of searches to compile expert-level, fully-cited reports in minutes. Whether you’re a student, a marketer researching competitors, or a business owner scoping out industry trends, Deep Search will aim slash your research time while delivering insights. It’s still too early to see how reliable this system will be, but it shows that Google understands the existing use case limitations of the Gemini system, and are taking steps to make it better.
Search Live: See, Ask, Learn
Google Lens already lets 1.5 billion people search visually every month, but Search Live takes it further by integrating Project Astra’s real-time capabilities. Point your camera, tap the “Live” icon in AI Mode or Lens, and have a back-and-forth conversation with Search about what you see. Struggling with a DIY project? Need help identifying a plant or troubleshooting a gadget? Search Live explains concepts, offers suggestions, and links to resources like videos or forums, all in real time. This is a goldmine for brands with visual content or how-to guides, as engaging, high-quality visuals will likely rank higher in these dynamic results.
AI Shopping: A Blessing & Curse For eCommerce
Shopping just got a major glow-up. AI Mode’s shopping experience combines Gemini’s smarts with Google’s Shopping Graph to help you browse, compare, and buy with ease. Upload a photo of yourself to virtually try on billions of apparel items, or let the agentic checkout feature snag the perfect product at the right price using Google Pay. For e-commerce brands, this means optimising product listings with rich visuals and detailed metadata is non-negotiable. Shoppers are already flocking to Google for inspiration, make sure your products are front and centre.
Personal Context: A Potentially Creepy Boon
Here’s where things get personal. AI Mode will soon use your past searches and, if you opt in, data from Google apps like Gmail to tailor results. Planning a foodie trip to Nashville? AI Mode might suggest restaurants with outdoor seating based on your booking history or music events near your hotel, pulled from your flight confirmations. Privacy is front and centre; you can control or disconnect this feature at any time, but for users, it’s a step toward hyper-relevant results. For businesses, this underscores the importance of consistent branding across Google’s ecosystem, from Business Profiles to ad campaigns.
Custom Charts and Graphs: Data That Pops
Need to visualise complex data? AI Mode’s got you covered with custom charts and graphs built on the fly. Whether you’re comparing sports stats or analysing financial trends, Google’s real-time data and AI smarts will generate interactive visuals tailored to your query. This is a boon for content creators and businesses in data-heavy industries, think finance, sports, or education, where engaging, dynamic content can set you apart.
What’s Next for Search (and Your Business)?
Google’s AI Mode isn’t just a feature; it’s a glimpse into a future where search doesn’t just inform, it anticipates, acts, and adapts. At Trafficon Digital, we’re here to help you navigate this shift and keep your brand ahead of the curve. Stay tuned for more insights, and let’s get your business ready for the AI-powered web!
Disclaimer: Results and features mentioned are based on Google’s I/O announcements and may vary as products develop.
