Google went so far as to take out ads on its homepage Doodle space for AI Mode, its new search engine that incorporates the Gemini AI model. Never wanting to be caught napping when it comes to remembering anniversaries, cultural milestones, etc., now the Doodle space is being utilized to promote a snarkier, chattier search. Its brand spanking new revamped home page boasts a behemoth question in living text inviting shoppers to ask something, the most recent manifestation of Google’s growing obsession with how to build artificial intelligence. AI Mode was first conceived as a 2025 rollout and has evolved as an overnaked search feature simply by making shoppers able to talk back to the engine.
Rather than getting asked in a series of questions, people now get asked in smart, layered questions and get short, AI-driven responses. It’s powered by Gemini—Google’s new large language model—that runs multimodal inputs such as text, voice, and image. It’s another option that can perhaps add more depth and integration to one experience where the modes can be blended into one. Having AI Mode on the home page is a deliberate decision. In May, Google had quietly experimented with adding a shortcut to AI Mode where the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button once appeared. Now, the animated banner trades that subtlety for an in-your-face declaration. Not an official doodle, Google calls it a “fun animation,” meant to raise awareness and encourage people to use AI-powered search features.
This prominent placement reflects Google’s effort to remain a leader in the fast-evolving world of AI. As competitors such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and others gain traction, Google is determined to showcase its AI strengths directly to billions of users who rely on its homepage. AI Mode is designed not just to answer but to converse, offering detailed, insightful replies in a more human-like format.
With its most prized web properties in the trenches for AI, Google is officially going on record: web searching is headed conversational, contextual, and intelligent. No longer isolated words in a vacuum, but understanding word intent and back to quick returnees sensible and natural-sounding responses. The future of web search.