Google is blurring the line between search and chatbot

Google Search’s AI makeover continues.

The company said that, starting today, mobile users will be able to ask follow-up questions to AI Overviews, Google’s AI-generated search summaries. Doing so will launch users into a back-and-forth with AI Mode, its more conversational take on search that already lives in a separate tab on the search page.

After Google’s AI Overviews awkwardly stumbled out the gate in 2024 (pizza glue, anyone?) they’ve gradually become a staple of the Search experience.

However, until now, users have only been able to back-and-forth with Google’s AI models by going directly to AI Mode or using Google’s Gemini chatbot. Now, on mobile, users will be able to tap an “Ask anything” text box that will let them ask further questions.

By integrating the feature into AI Overviews, Google is further blurring the lines between its AI offerings and pushing Search further toward something more conversational.

…