Google’s AI Mode expands globally, adds new agentic features

Google is launching a global expansion of AI Mode, its experimental feature that allows users to ask complex questions and follow-ups to dig deeper on a topic directly within Search, the company announced on Thursday. The tech giant is also bringing new agentic and personalized capabilities to the feature.

As part of the expansion, Google is bringing AI Mode to 180 new countries in English. Up until now, it’s only been available to users in the U.S., U.K., and India. Google plans to bring the feature to more languages and regions soon.

In terms of the new agentic features, users can now use AI Mode to find restaurant reservations, and in the future, they’ll be able to find local service appointments and event tickets. Users can request dinner reservations based on multiple preferences, such as party size, date, time, location, and preferred cuisine. AI Mode will then search across different reservation platforms to find real-time availability for restaurants that match the inquiry. It then surfaces a curated list of options to choose from.

This new capability is rolling out for Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. through the “Agentic capabilities in AI Mode” experiment in Labs, Google’s experimental arm. (Ultra is Google’s highest-end plan, at $249.99 per month.)

Image Credits:Google

Google says that U.S. users in the AI Mode experiment will also now see search results tailored to their individual preferences and interests. The tech giant is starting with dining-related topics for this capability.

For example, if someone searches, “I only have an hour, need a quick lunch spot, any suggestions?” AI Mode will use their past conversations, along with places they’ve searched for or clicked on in Search and Maps, to offer more relevant suggestions. So, if AI Mode infers that you like Italian food and places with outdoor seating, you’ll get results suggesting options with these preferences.

Google notes that users can adjust their personalization settings in their Google Account.

In addition, AI Mode now lets users share and collaborate with others. A new “Share” button lets users send an AI Mode response to others, allowing them to jump into the conversation. Google says this could be helpful in cases where you need to collaborate with someone else, such as planning a trip or a birthday party.