Google said at I/O 2026 that AI Mode has reached 1 billion monthly active users, with query volume doubling every quarter. The company paired that growth update with a much broader product shift: Search is being rebuilt as a single entry point for AI agents rather than a page that simply returns links.
A 25-year-old search box gets rebuilt
Google’s core search interaction had stayed largely the same for decades. Type keywords, get a list of links. At I/O 2026, the company said that model is giving way to a new intelligent Search box that can expand for longer prompts, suggest full follow-up questions based on user intent, and accept multimodal inputs such as images, files, videos, and even live context from Chrome tabs.
AI Overviews is also changing. Instead of forcing users to start a new query after reading a summary, Google now lets AI Overviews flow directly into an AI Mode conversation. The update launched globally on desktop and mobile the same day. Search is shifting from one-off requests to ongoing dialogue.
The system is powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash, which Google described as its latest Flash model with a focus on agent and coding use cases. It becomes the default global model for AI Mode starting immediately.
Search moves toward an operating system for agents
Google introduced three parallel product tracks: Information agents, agentic booking with calling, and agentic coding with generative UI. Together they point to a new role for Search, one centered on persistent tasks instead of simple answers.
Information agents let users set up and manage multiple AI agents inside Search. These agents can keep running in the background across web pages, news, social content, and real-time pricing feeds, then notify users when a match appears. Google used examples such as home listings that meet location and budget requirements, or alerts for limited sneaker releases. The feature is scheduled to open to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers this summer.
Agentic booking expands beyond travel into local experiences, home repair, beauty services, and pet care. Google said it will combine live pricing with availability data, and in some categories can place calls to businesses to complete a reservation. A full US rollout is planned for this summer.
Search can generate working interfaces during a query
For agentic coding, Google said it wants to bring its Antigravity development platform into Search. That would let users generate interactive interfaces inside the search process itself, including custom tables, simulators, health dashboards, and reusable mini apps.
In the example shown by Google, a request to build a widget for daily step counts and weather could produce a usable micro app tied to live data. Basic functionality is expected to be available free to all users this summer, while mini apps will roll out in the coming months to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US.
The announcement also makes Google’s competitive approach clearer. Instead of isolating AI inside a standalone product, the company is embedding Gemini 3.5, Antigravity, and DeepMind-backed infrastructure directly into Search, using an interface billions already visit as the place where AI agents run.