Buckle up: Google is set to remake search with agentic AI in 2026

In a significant shift towards artificial intelligence, Google is transforming its search capabilities, a process that began last year and gained momentum at the recent I/O event. Liz Reid, Google's Vice President of Search, made it clear during her keynote address that the future of Google search is intrinsically linked to AI, stating, "Google search is AI search." This strategic pivot is not merely a response to industry trends; Google's internal metrics strongly indicate that this is the correct direction. Despite some skepticism from users regarding these changes, Google's vast influence and resources ensure they can drive the outcomes they desire. The company initiated testing of its AI Mode for search just over a year ago, officially launching it at I/O 2025. User engagement with AI Mode is on the rise, with Reid revealing that the feature's usage has been doubling each quarter. Currently, more than 1 billion users engage with AI Mode monthly, a statistic that underscores the growing acceptance of this conversational search experience. AI Mode encourages users to interact through follow-up queries, each of which counts as a search, significantly boosting search volumes. Furthermore, Google is heavily promoting AI Mode, directing users through visible links and nudges to try out the chatbot feature rather than relying on traditional search methods. Notably, this enhanced AI experience is available to all Google search users at no additional cost. As the company continues to integrate AI Mode with its search offerings, new functionalities are being introduced. The most notable is the seamless integration between AI Mode and AI Overviews, which provides users with a streamlined search experience. Most search queries now yield an AI Overview, with an expanded mobile feature allowing users to transition smoothly into AI Mode, which is also being rolled out on desktop platforms. This evolution marks a pivotal moment in Google's journey to redefine how we interact with information online.