We saw the bulk of the Android news last week, so it was time to check out what’s coming to another pillar of Google’s empire: Search. Perhaps the biggest change is an overhaul of the Search box, which has been the de facto front page of the internet for hundreds of millions of people for decades.
Starting today, Google is deploying “an intelligent AI-powered Search box” in all languages and countries in which AI Mode is available. The company says this will offer suggestions to users “that go beyond autocomplete,” as it designed the Search box to better anticipate their intent and help them to form questions. Along with text, they’ll be able to use images, files, videos and even Chrome tabs as Search inputs.
Introducing our brand new, intelligent Search box — totally reimagined with AI. This is the biggest upgrade to our Search box in 25 years and it’s starting to roll out today.
Designed to anticipate your intent, the new Search box helps you formulate your question with AI-powered… pic.twitter.com/hgEI2BzhwV
— Google (@Google) May 19, 2026
Users on desktop and mobile around the world now have the option to ask a follow-up question in an AI Overview and then slide right into AI Mode. Google says that the deeper you dig, the more the links and supporting information become relevant to what you’re looking for.
It’s unclear as yet whether these changes will hamper workarounds that many users (*waves*) have turned to in order to avoid AI Overviews and other AI features in Search results. In any case, I wouldn’t be surprised to see many more folks ditching Google Search for alternatives that offer AI-free web searches (*waves again*).
As is the way of things, Google is retooling AI Mode with yet another model change. Starting today, AI Mode will now be powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash by default. This is Google’s latest Flash model (more details on that shortly).
We’re bringing generative UI to everyone, free of charge, thanks to Google @Antigravity and the agentic coding capabilities of Gemini 3.5 Flash.
Search can build custom visual tools and simulations, tailored to your specific question, on the fly.
Under the hood, Search… pic.twitter.com/eb1KqRHuft
— Google (@Google) May 19, 2026
Speaking of which, Google is expanding Personal Intelligence in AI Mode. This is a feature that allows you to grant Gemini access to pull in information from apps like Gmail and Google Photos if you choose (Google Calendar integration is on the way). The idea is to enable Gemini to have a better understanding of your personal context.
Google made Personal Intelligence free for all US users in March. Starting today, it’s making the tool available in 98 languages across almost 200 countries and territories.
