With an AI-powered interface, autonomous task execution, tighter integration with Google apps, and capabilities for creating personalised “mini apps” within Search, Google has unveiled a comprehensive makeover of Search in more than 25 years. At Google I/O 2026, the company’s yearly developer conference, these upgrades were revealed.
These modifications further transform Search from a list of links to an AI-powered, conversational assistant that uses Gemini models. Instead of only retrieving information, Google is introducing what it refers to as “agentic” features that let users request multi-step operations.
With an AI-powered interface, autonomous task execution, tighter integration with Google apps, and capabilities for creating personalised “mini apps” within Search, Google has unveiled a comprehensive makeover of Search in more than 25 years. At Google I/O 2026, the company’s yearly developer conference, these upgrades were revealed.
These modifications further transform Search from a list of links to an AI-powered, conversational assistant that uses Gemini models. Instead of only retrieving information, Google is introducing what it refers to as “agentic” features that let users request multi-step operations.
Google’s conversational search tool, “AI Mode,” which debuted in 2025, is evolving from an experimental feature to a fundamental component of Google Search. It manages longer, more intricate queries and is based on Google’s Gemini 3.5 Flash architecture. In addition to their search suggestions, users can give it documents, photos, and browser tabs. Instead of brief keyword enquiries, the search box itself has been updated to support back-and-forth talks.
With support for 98 languages, AI Mode is currently available in almost 200 countries.
Users will be able to ask Search to track projects, keep an eye on updates, arrange data, and communicate with websites and services on its own. Google gave examples of use cases including organising a wedding and relocating. These features are based on a mechanism within Search dubbed “Antigravity,” which generates lightweight task interfaces and persistent dashboards. Subscribers will be the first to use the functionality.
Integration with Gmail, Photos, and Calendar: Users can link their Google Photos and Gmail accounts to Search, which enables it to get emails, trip reservations, receipts, images, and other private information to tailor responses. Although it is not yet accessible, calendar integration is planned. Whether or not to allow these connections is up to the users.
Increased examination of privacy policies and how the system keeps and utilises user data will probably result from Search’s wider use of personal data.
Real-time multimodal interactions are introduced by Search Live: Google further increased Search’s multimodal capabilities with “Search Live,” a Project Astra-powered feature.
With the help of the system, users can engage with Search in real time via the cameras on their phones, allowing Search to analyse live footage and react in a conversational manner. This capability expands on Google DeepMind’s earlier research on multimodal AI helpers that incorporate text, image, voice, and video comprehension.
What does the web stand to gain from this? Google is changing its search engine to produce direct AI responses instead of lists of links. Search traffic to websites and publishers is already declining as a result of this adjustment. Advertisers and publishers who depend on search referrals are facing increasing uncertainty as zero-click experiences rise.
Unresolved accuracy issues: AI-generated search results are still untrustworthy. According to a 2026 study, generative search engines occasionally reference low-quality or AI-generated sources. In the past, Google’s AI Overviews have obscured original source information and generated erroneous summaries. Although independent concerns regarding accuracy, citation quality, and openness are still unanswered, Google claims that its methods are becoming better.
