When Google debuted AI Mode in early March, the company promised to work quickly to make it available to more users, and now it’s doing just that. Following a small expansion last month, the company announces that AI Mode is now available to all Labs users, and there is no waiting list to restrict access. As a reminder, AI Mode is a new chatbot that Google has built directly into Search. Labs is a program you can sign up for to try out new Search features before they go public.
With today’s expansion, Google is also updating its AI mode, adding new visual maps that will appear when you ask the chatbot for information about places and products. “For local places like restaurants, salons, and stores, you can quickly see information like ratings, reviews, and hours, and if you’re looking for a product, you’ll see options you can buy with real-time prices (including the latest promotions), images, shipping details, and local inventory,” Google said in a statement about the new feature.
On the desktop, Google is also adding a search history tool that allows users to view and continue previous conversations they’ve had using AI mode. The idea is to allow people to continue research they may have left unfinished.
If you’re not signed up for Labs and live in the US, there’s a chance you’ll see the AI mode in Search in the coming weeks. Google says it’s doing this because the response to the feature has been “incredibly positive” and the company wants to gather additional feedback before rolling it out more broadly.
