Google today rolled out a playful yet powerful promotion of its “AI Mode” through a lively new Google Doodle featured on its homepage. The animated artwork showcases the familiar “Google” logo morphing into a sleek, multicolored “G,” accompanied by intricate space-themed visuals an eye-catching invitation to explore the next generation of search.
Clicking on the Doodle leads users directly into AI Mode, a more conversational and context-aware way to search powered by Google’s advanced Gemini AI model. Beneath the search bar, a prompt reads “Try AI Mode and search like never before,” linking users to a dedicated AI Mode interface at google.com/aimode.
Launched in March 2025, AI Mode began as an experimental Search Labs feature, offering Google One AI Premium subscribers in the U.S. the ability to ask complex, multi-layered queries like “Show me current travel restrictions and airline rules for Sweden, plus suggested packing items” and receive synthesized, polished responses. The system supports text, images, and voice inputs, delivering multimedia answers along with traditional search links.
Post-launch at Google I/O 2025, availability expanded beyond U.S. borders, with India entering early testing phases. The latest Doodle, a prime piece of digital real estate, reflects Google’s clear intention to roll out AI Mode to a broader global audience.
Embedding AI Mode into the Doodle serves a dual purpose:
- Increase visibility: Google Doodles rank among the most viewed digital elements on the web. Pairing it with AI Mode shines a spotlight on the feature.
- Meet competitive pressure: As rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Perplexity AI emphasize generative capabilities, Google is anchoring its response in familiar territory its flagship search engine.
9to5Google claims that Google is developing a number of improvements to AI Mode, including:
- Search Live: Conversational voice interaction
- Visual mode: Utilize the camera for query input
- Deep Search: Draw on personal content from Gmail
- Agentic actions: Automate tasks like ticket purchasing
These developments signal a pivot toward more interactive, intelligent, and proactive search experiences far beyond keywords and links.
By positioning AI Mode front and center via its Doodle, Google is blending its decades-old search dominance with cutting-edge AI. This is a strategic move to reassure users: today’s search may be smarter and more conversational, but it’s still Google’s familiar and trusted interface at the core.
