TechRadar AI Week 2025
This article is part of TechRadar’s AI Week 2025. We cover the basics of artificial intelligence and show you how to get the most out of ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and more, with detailed features, news, and key topics from the world of AI.
Google has unveiled Gemini 3, its latest and most powerful AI model to date. It’s changing the way many of Google’s products work, including AI mode. But you’re not the only one wondering what Google AI mode actually is, many people are confused.
There’s a lot to criticize about traditional search and how Google normally works without AI capabilities. Like outdated SEO strategies, advertising, and the constant battle to figure out what you’re actually looking for. But moving from this type of search to AI-generated answers raises unique questions. Is AI mode better or worse than regular search? There’s no clear answer, but understanding how Google’s AI mode works can help you decide whether to use it or avoid it altogether.
Google AI: AI overview, AI mode, Gemini
Before proceeding, it’s worth understanding some confusing Google terminology. There are currently three AI terms you need to know: AI Overview, AI Mode, and Gemini.
AI Overview is a short summary that appears above regular search results. However, AI mode is different.[AI モード]You must open it from a tab or by visiting google.com/ai. Completely replace traditional search results with AI-generated pages. Next is Gemini. This is both a standalone chatbot and The name of the model that powers all of Google’s AI products. Most people we spoke to didn’t know that these were separate tools. This doesn’t really help Google promote AI mode as a new way to search.
How does AI mode work?
AI mode utilizes a fine-tuned version of Gemini for search.
For example, use multi-step reasoning, which essentially breaks down complex questions into smaller chunks, allowing you to better understand nuances and better understand what you’re asking. Google also claims that AI mode is less prone to hallucinations (the industry term for AI fabrications) because it can check answers against Google’s indexed data before presenting them to the user.
There are many more technical components under the hood, which Google’s AI in Search explanation explains in more detail. But the important thing to understand is how these parts fit together. AI mode sits between a traditional search engine and an AI assistant. This is not a chatbot, nor is it a classic search tool. It’s a hybrid that Google designed to be more convenient and efficient than using it alone.
Is Google AI mode good?
Whether it’s “good” or not depends on what you’re looking for in your search. If you like searching for something and then going through a long list of links to get there and watch it, you’ll probably find AI mode too selective. It’s as if the AI has already decided what you should see before you even start exploring or thinking about it yourself. However, it can be very useful if you prefer a neatly packaged summary.
See the screenshot below for a simple example. We asked, “Who is Sekhmet?” AI mode produced a clean, well-structured page with images, headings, descriptions, and direct links to the source.
It feels like a simple report. This is very similar to Perplexity. This makes sense, considering Perplexity was also built for search and research. For simple queries, or when you need to understand something in a hurry, the experience is much faster and really helpful.
Google’s advantage here is that it has already amassed a huge amount of data. A model is only as useful as the information you can use and think about it. Google has a huge index across all products, including maps, shopping, images, videos, reviews, news, and more.
So, for example, using AI mode for shopping brings out key features, highlights expert opinions, compares prices, and links directly to retailers in a way that will definitely appeal to people who feel overwhelmed by online shopping.
Of course, other AI tools can do this as well. ChatGPT is amazingly good at helping you shop. However, if you want to avoid a chatbot-style experience and really just want information and want as little interaction as possible, AI mode is a good option.
How is AI mode different from chatbot?
This is where the distinction becomes a little more clear. Google’s AI Mode and Perplexity both operate like AI-powered search engines. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is built for conversation, creativity, and longer-form assistance and interaction. Information is retrieved, but only if you request it.
Ask ChatGPT “Who is Sekhmet?” And similar facts will be presented. However, ChatGPT tends to feel more personal, flexible, and expressive (although you can add custom instructions to customize your ChatGPT experience). Google’s AI mode has a more evidence-based structure and is more rigorous in its design when it comes to the results it displays.
So if you want creativity, a customized experience, or conversations that can go in different directions about what you’re looking for, use Gemini or ChatGPT. If you want an overview of your research or a clear explanation from a trusted source, AI mode is the way to go.
Should I use Google AI mode?
The answer is completely up to you and how you want to view and digest the information. True, traditional search still adjusts results and displays links based on algorithms. But it still makes sense if you like exploring links, comparing perspectives, and discovering unexpected sources.
AI mode, on the other hand, is very appealing if you’re short on time, overwhelmed by search results, or simply want a clear snapshot of something before digging deeper. It’s reasonable, straightforward, and for many people, exactly what they want.
But convenience comes with a trade-off. AI mode answers are very sophisticated and may erase some of the discoveries that make the internet interesting. Many people enjoy stumbling upon personal blogs, falling down Reddit rabbit holes, and discovering niche sites they wouldn’t normally visit.
Some might argue that Google is already trying to suppress that kind of serendipity, but AI mode cancels it entirely in favor of efficiency. And behind that efficiency is the reality that you’re serving a digest of content created by real people who may never click through to your website or get credit for their efforts.
So, beyond whether AI mode is suitable for use, the bigger concern is what will happen if AI mode becomes the default way to browse the internet. If users stop accessing original sources, publishers, critics, bloggers, recipe writers, and news outlets, everyone will have a hard time continuing. And if fewer people click, the overall diversity and depth of the web could shrink.
Admittedly, AI mode is very useful. But when deciding whether to make it your new everyday search tool, it’s worth keeping in mind whether the convenience is worth it.
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