Google is testing a change in its search experience that lets users in the U.S. (and increasingly globally on mobile) transition directly from AI Overviews—the AI-generated summary box at the top of search results — into its AI Mode conversational interface with follow-up questions and deeper interaction without leaving the search page. This experiment merges the quick snapshot responses of AI Overviews with the more interactive, Gemini-powered AI Mode to create a smoother, dialogue-style search experience, potentially reducing the need for users to click through to external websites and deepening engagement within Google’s ecosystem. The shift reflects Google’s broader strategy to make search more conversational and competitive with standalone AI chat tools, though it may impact referral traffic to publishers and SEO strategies for content creators.
