Remember when Google Search felt simple? Typing a few words into a box, scanning a list of blue links, and hoping for the best was the norm. That version of Search is long gone, buried deep under layers of artificial intelligence. At I/O 2026, Google announced a series of Search updates that make it clear the product is becoming more conversational, more personal, and more like an assistant that can act on your behalf. This evolution reflects a broader trend in the tech industry: the shift from static search engines to dynamic, agent-driven platforms that anticipate needs and execute tasks.
The company said it is bringing “advanced model capabilities to Search with new AI features,” including a new AI Search box, information agents, agentic coding, and a personalization feature that pulls from your Google app data. According to Liz Reid, vice president and head of Search, “The goal of Search has always been simple: to help you ask anything on your mind.” The difference now is that Search is designed not just to answer, but to research, shop, book, monitor, and create on your behalf.
1. AI Mode runs on Gemini 3.5 Flash
The AI Mode tab in Google Search on desktop and mobile is now powered globally by a new model called Gemini 3.5 Flash. At I/O, Google described this model as a “major leap forward in building more capable, intelligent agents.” It provides “frontier performance for agents and coding, excelling at complex long-horizon tasks.” Essentially, it is a faster, agent-ready model that can reason across sources, handle longer prompts, understand images and video, and complete multistep workflows. This upgrade means that users can ask follow-up questions from an AI Overview and move into a conversational back-and-forth with AI Mode, with Search retaining context throughout the interaction.
Google revealed that AI Mode has already surpassed one billion monthly users. The rollout of Gemini 3.5 Flash as the default model behind AI Mode is now available globally across devices. This marks a significant milestone because it integrates the latest generative AI capabilities directly into the search experience, making each query more contextual and responsive.
The implications for users are profound. Instead of receiving a static list of links, you now get a synthesised answer that draws from multiple sources, and you can refine it through natural language dialogue. This is particularly useful for research-heavy tasks like planning a vacation, comparing product specifications, or understanding complex scientific concepts. The model’s ability to process images and video also enables visual searches, such as identifying a landmark from a photo or diagnosing a plant disease from a picture.
2. A new AI Search box
Google is overhauling the Search box itself, decoupling it from keywords. Instead of forcing users to compress a messy thought into a few search terms, the new box is built for conversational, multimodal questions. As Google put it, “Because your curiosity doesn't always fit into keywords,” it is introducing “the biggest upgrade to our Search box in over 25 years… now completely reimagined with AI.” This means you can ask questions the way you would ask a person, without worrying about exact phrasing.
For example, instead of typing “best portable Bluetooth speaker waterproof Alexa,” you could ask: “I want a portable Bluetooth speaker to take out by the pool. It'd be nice if it were waterproof and supported Alexa. Which ones are worth buying?” The new box supports inputs beyond text, including images, files, videos, or even content from open Chrome tabs. It also provides AI suggestions that “go beyond autocomplete,” offering proactive guidance as you type.
This redesign is rolling out today in areas where AI Mode is available, and it will reach all users gradually. The shift to a conversational interface aligns with how people naturally seek information, and it lowers the barrier for users who may not be skilled at crafting precise search queries. It also opens the door for more complex, multipart requests that previously would have required multiple searches.
3. Search agents can research things for you
One of the most intriguing new features is the introduction of Search agents. Google said it is entering “the era of Search agents,” where you can create, customize, and manage multiple AI agents inside Search. These agents work in the background after you ask a question, continuously monitoring the web, blogs, news, social posts, and other recent sources for updates relevant to your query.
The first iteration is information agents. For instance, if you are apartment hunting, you can “brain dump all of the exact requirements you're looking for, and your agent will continuously scan for you, notifying you when listings meet your needs.” This passive monitoring capability is a game-changer for tasks that require ongoing vigilance, such as tracking job openings, monitoring stock prices, or following a breaking news story.
Access to information agents will initially be limited to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, with a planned release this summer. The move represents Google’s ambition to turn Search into a proactive assistant rather than a reactive tool. It also raises questions about data usage and privacy, as the agents will need access to your search history and preferences to operate effectively. However, Google has emphasized that users will have control over what data agents can access.
4. Search will help book local services
Search is adding agentic booking capabilities for local services and appointments. For example, if you need a private karaoke room for six people on a Friday night with food, Google Search with Gemini 3.5 Flash will show the latest pricing and availability with direct links to finish booking through the provider of your choice. For select categories like home repair, beauty, or pet care, you can even ask “Google to call the business on your behalf.” This hands-free convenience is designed to save time and reduce friction in everyday tasks.
These capabilities will roll out to everyone in the United States by summer 2026. The booking feature leverages Google’s existing knowledge of local businesses, reviews, and schedules, making it a natural extension of the search experience. It competes directly with dedicated booking platforms like OpenTable, Yelp, or Thumbtack, but integrates seamlessly into the search interface.
The agentic approach means Google not only finds the information but also initiates action. This shift from information retrieval to task completion is a key theme of the updates. Over time, users will likely see more categories added and deeper integration with business systems.
5. Shopping is getting more agentic, too
Google also announced a new AI-powered shopping cart feature called Universal Cart, which connects across Search, Gemini, Google Pay, Gmail, and YouTube. It remembers products you are considering, watches for price drops, finds alternatives, and helps build a cart using your payment, membership, loyalty, and shipping details. According to Google, it is built on Google Wallet and “lets you quickly find opportunities for hidden savings or points.”
An example given was building a custom PC, which requires parts from several retailers. “Your cart will proactively flag any product incompatibilities and suggest alternatives,” Google said. The cart also understands your payment method perks, loyalty information, and merchant offers. This creates a unified shopping experience across Google’s ecosystem, potentially reducing the need to visit multiple retailer websites manually.
Universal Cart will launch first in Search and the Gemini app in the US, with YouTube and Gmail integration to follow, beginning in summer 2026. The feature is a direct response to the growing trend of conversational commerce and the expectation that AI can streamline purchasing decisions. It also strengthens Google’s position in e-commerce, challenging Amazon’s dominance by leveraging its vast data across services.
6. Agentic coding comes to Search
In a move that brings one of AI’s most popular use cases front and center, Google is putting coding capabilities directly into Search. As the company described it, this brings “the power of Google Antigravity and the agentic coding capabilities of Gemini 3.5 Flash right into Search.” You can ask Search to code small tools or apps, complete with a custom generative UI, layout, and real-time components such as interactive graphs.
Examples include an astrophysics visualization, a wedding-planning dashboard, a moving tracker, and a fitness app that pulls in data from reviews, live maps, local sources, and weather. The “generative UI capabilities” will be available to everyone in Search this summer “free of charge.” Subscribers to Google AI Pro and Ultra will be able to build custom experiences with Antigravity, such as mini apps, in the coming months.
This feature democratizes coding, allowing users with little to no programming experience to create functional applications directly from a search query. It could be particularly valuable for educators, small business owners, and hobbyists who need quick tools without installing complex software. It also showcases the versatility of Gemini 3.5 Flash, which can handle both natural language and code generation seamlessly.
7. Personal Intelligence in AI Mode
Finally, Google is bringing its opt-in personalization features to Search through what it calls Personal Intelligence in AI Mode. If you choose to connect apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google Photos, Search will use information from those apps to provide more personalized answers. For example, it could find a receipt buried in Gmail or surface relevant Google Photos while you are researching a topic.
Personal Intelligence in AI Mode is expanding to people in nearly 200 countries and territories across 98 languages, with no subscription required. It appears to be rolling out now. This feature represents a significant step toward a truly personal search experience, but it also underscores the trade-off between convenience and privacy. Users must actively opt in, and they can disconnect any app at any time, giving them control over how their data is used.
The integration of personal data allows Search to answer questions that previously required manual digging, such as “What did I spend on groceries last month?” or “Show me photos from my trip to Paris.” By blending public web information with private user data, Google aims to make Search more relevant and helpful, but it also invites scrutiny from privacy advocates who worry about increased data centralization.
Overall, these seven upgrades signal a new direction for Google Search. The platform is evolving from a simple query-response tool into an agentic system that can monitor, book, shop, code, and personalize answers. For power users, the ability to create agents and build apps directly in Search will unlock new levels of productivity. For casual users, the conversational AI box and personalized answers will make everyday searches more intuitive and efficient. The trade-off is an increased reliance on Google’s infrastructure and a deeper trust in how the company handles personal data. As these features roll out throughout 2026, the way people interact with information will continue to transform, blurring the line between search engine and personal assistant.
Source: ZDNET News