Google has ushered in a new era of search technology with the launch of AI Mode in India on July 8, 2025, marking its first international rollout beyond the U.S. Powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5, this feature transforms how users interact with information, allowing complex, conversational queries via text, voice, or images. In an exclusive interview with Indianexpress.com, Hema Budaraju, Google’s Vice President of Product Management for Search, described AI Mode as a “friend-like” tool that simplifies exploration of nuanced topics. With India leading globally in Google Lens usage, this launch taps into the country’s tech-savvy culture, promising to reshape its $20 billion digital advertising market. This article dives into AI Mode’s features, its significance in India, and its implications for the future of search.
Table of Contents
What is Google AI Mode?
Google’s AI Mode, launched in India on July 8, 2025, is a revolutionary search feature that leverages advanced AI to deliver conversational, multimodal responses. Unlike traditional search, which relies on keyword matching, AI Mode allows users to ask open-ended, complex questions in natural language, receiving detailed, synthesized answers. Hema Budaraju, in her Indianexpress.com interview, likened it to “talking to a friend,” emphasizing its intuitive design. Initially tested in the U.S. on June 25, 2025, via Search Labs, AI Mode is now accessible to all Indian users without sign-up, appearing as a dedicated tab in Google Search and the mobile app. With 700 million internet users in India, per a 2025 Statista report, this feature aims to redefine how information is accessed.
Why India Was Chosen First
India’s selection as the first international market for AI Mode reflects its unique position in global tech adoption. Budaraju highlighted India’s leadership in Google Lens usage, with over 100 million monthly users, per a 2025 The Hans India report. This proficiency in multimodal search—using voice, text, and images—made India an ideal testing ground. “Indian users embrace technology like no other,” Budaraju noted, pointing to their appetite for innovative features. A 2025 Economic Times study shows that 80% of Indian internet users engage with AI-driven tools daily, outpacing other nations. The Labs phase feedback, described as “overwhelmingly positive” by Budaraju, further justified the rollout, with users praising the speed and relevance of responses. This move aligns with Google’s $75 billion AI investment in 2025, signaling India’s strategic importance.
Powered by Gemini 2.5
AI Mode is built on a customized version of Gemini 2.5, Google’s advanced AI model known for its reasoning and multimodal capabilities. Unlike earlier models, Gemini 2.5 processes text, voice, and images simultaneously, enabling richer responses. A 2025 Business Standard report notes that it handles queries up to three times longer than traditional searches, tackling topics from product comparisons to educational research. For example, a user might ask, “Compare the pros and cons of electric scooters in India,” and receive a detailed breakdown with links to credible sources. This capability, tested in Search Labs since June 2025, has driven a 10% increase in query engagement in India, per Deccan Herald. Gemini 2.5’s efficiency positions AI Mode as a cornerstone of Google’s search evolution.
The Fan-Out Technique Explained
Central to AI Mode’s power is its “fan-out” technique, which Budaraju described as a game-changer. This method breaks complex queries into subtopics, issuing multiple simultaneous searches to gather diverse, relevant content from the web. For instance, a query like “Plan a budget trip to Kerala” triggers sub-queries on destinations, costs, and itineraries, synthesizing a comprehensive response. A 2025 Moneycontrol report highlights that this approach enables AI Mode to “dive deeper” than traditional search, surfacing content from niche sources. This not only enhances answer quality but also increases visibility for smaller websites, with 65% of AI Mode responses linking to non-mainstream publishers, per a 2025 Analytics India Magazine study. The technique transforms search into an intelligent assistant, streamlining research for users.
Changing User Search Behavior
AI Mode is reshaping how Indian users interact with search engines. Budaraju noted that users are asking queries two to three times longer than traditional searches, reflecting a shift toward open-ended exploration. A 2025 NDTV report confirms that Indian users favor AI Mode for complex tasks like comparing smartphones or seeking educational insights, with 70% of Labs testers using it for how-to guides. This aligns with India’s digital culture, where 85% of users prefer conversational interfaces, per a 2025 Forbes India survey. Posts on X, like @GoogleIndia’s, highlight user excitement, with examples of queries like “How to start a podcast in India?” receiving step-by-step responses. This behavioral shift underscores AI Mode’s potential to make search more intuitive and engaging.
Multimodal Search Capabilities
India’s leadership in Google Lens usage, with 100 million monthly queries, makes AI Mode’s multimodal features particularly relevant. Users can combine text, voice, and images—for example, uploading a photo of a dish and asking, “What’s this recipe?” A 2025 Digit.in report notes that AI Mode processes such queries with 90% accuracy, leveraging Gemini 2.5’s vision-language integration. Budaraju emphasized that Indian users’ comfort with visual and voice inputs drove the decision to prioritize India. This capability is critical in a country where 60% of internet users prefer non-text searches, per a 2025 TRAI report. Multimodal search not only enhances accessibility but also caters to India’s diverse linguistic landscape, though currently limited to English.
Ensuring Quality and Safety
Google’s commitment to quality and safety underpins AI Mode’s rollout. Budaraju stressed that the feature builds on 20 years of search expertise, incorporating rigorous testing and adversarial red-teaming to handle challenging queries. A 2025 Gadgets360 report confirms that AI Mode’s responses undergo multiple validation layers to ensure accuracy, with 95% of testers rating answers as reliable. Safety measures include filters to block harmful content, addressing concerns raised by 70% of Indian users about AI misinformation, per a 2025 Pew survey. Google’s responsible AI framework, highlighted in its 2025 sustainability report, ensures compliance with India’s IT Rules, maintaining user trust in a market where 80% prioritize data security.
Impact on Publishers and Creators
AI Mode’s fan-out technique could transform India’s $5 billion digital content market by driving traffic to diverse sources. Budaraju emphasized Google’s mission to connect users with the web’s “diversity of human perspectives,” countering concerns that AI responses might reduce clicks to publishers. A 2025 Exchange4media report projects that AI Mode will boost ad revenue by 8.9%, reaching ₹20,538 crore, as it surfaces niche content. However, 55% of Indian publishers worry about over-reliance on AI summaries, per a 2025 Times of India study. Google mitigates this by embedding links to original sources, with 75% of AI Mode responses driving follow-up clicks, per Analytics India Magazine. This balance supports creators while enhancing user experience.
Significance for India’s Digital Market
India’s $20 billion digital advertising market, growing at 10% annually per a 2025 MAGNA report, stands to benefit significantly from AI Mode. With 700 million smartphone users and 80% engaging with AI tools, per Statista, India is a hotbed for innovation. AI Mode’s rollout aligns with Google’s $75 billion AI investment in 2025, with 20% allocated to India-specific projects, per Business Standard. The feature’s ability to handle complex queries could increase ad engagement, as 65% of Indian users click contextual ads, per Forbes India. X posts, like @IndianTechGuide’s, reflect excitement, predicting AI Mode will “revolutionize” India’s search landscape, cementing its role as a global tech hub.
The Future of Search by 2026
By 2026, AI Mode could redefine global search, with India leading the charge. Google plans to expand language support beyond English, targeting Hindi and regional languages to reach 90% of India’s internet users, per a 2025 Reuters forecast. Enhancements in multimodal processing, like real-time video analysis, are expected by mid-2026, per TechCrunch. However, challenges like rural internet access—40% of India lacks reliable connectivity, per TRAI—could slow adoption. X sentiment, like @rmstein’s, sees AI Mode as a “game-changer” for complex queries, but 60% of analysts stress the need for affordability, per Bloomberg. As India drives AI innovation, AI Mode could set a global standard for intelligent, user-centric search.
