Google Search’s new ‘AI Mode’ lets users ask complex, multi-part questions - TechCrunch

Google, the world's leading search engine, has announced the launch of an experimental feature named "AI Mode" within its Search function. This move is part of a broader trend of integrating artificial intelligence into everyday technology, and comes as a direct challenge to Perplexity AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search. The new mode is designed to allow users to ask complex, multi-part questions, revolutionizing the way we interact with search engines. By leveraging advanced AI technology, Google aims to make the search experience more intuitive and efficient, potentially changing the way billions of people use the internet.

Google's newly announced "AI Mode" is an experimental feature in Search that seeks to revolutionize the way users interact with the search engine. It has been designed to handle and accurately respond to complex, multi-part questions, a feat that has been challenging for search engines until now. This move by Google is seen as an attempt to compete with advanced AI technologies like Perplexity AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search. These platforms have been making strides in the area of conversational AI and natural language processing, which allows for more nuanced and complicated queries.

The "AI Mode" integrates an advanced algorithm that uses artificial intelligence to understand and interpret the context and nuances of a query. It goes beyond simple keyword matching to comprehend the user's intent, even when the question is complex or multi-layered. This could include multi-part questions, hypothetical scenarios, or queries that require the AI to understand and process a level of ambiguity or uncertainty.

For example, if a user were to ask, "What is the weather like in New York, and what are some good indoor activities there if it's raining?", the AI Mode would be able to understand that the user is asking two connected questions and provide a comprehensive response. This level of comprehension and context-awareness marks a significant advancement in search engine technology.

This development is not only a leap forward for search engine technology but also marks a significant step in the broader field of artificial intelligence. The ability to understand and respond to complex queries is a fundamental aspect of human communication that has been difficult to replicate in AI systems. Google's AI Mode is a testament to the progress being made in this area.

Google's new AI Mode in search is powered by MUM (Multitask Unified Model), a significant upgrade from its predecessor, BERT. MUM is reportedly 1,000 times more powerful, capable of understanding and generating language, learning across 75 different languages, and grasping knowledge from various sources. This technology allows Google to provide more nuanced and detailed responses to complex queries.

Google has been testing MUM for quite some time, and it has already shown promising results. During its initial testing phase, MUM demonstrated an ability to understand intricate questions and provide more comprehensive answers. For instance, it was able to identify the connections between seemingly unrelated topics such as mountain climbing and gardening, by recognizing the common thread of equipment requirements.

Google's AI Mode also leverages the capabilities of transformer-based models, which have proven to be useful in various tasks including translation, question answering, and more. These models can process long sequences of data to make accurate predictions. This forms the crux of Google's AI Mode, allowing it to handle multi-part questions and provide detailed answers.

The launch of AI Mode in Google Search is a significant step towards making the search engine more conversational and user-friendly. However, it's also a strategic move to keep up with competition from other AI ventures such as Perplexity AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search. These platforms have also been making strides in conversational AI, posing a challenge to Google's dominance in the search market.

AI Mode’s introduction in Google Search could mark a significant shift in the way users interact with search engines. As it stands, most search engines require users to enter specific keywords to get the results they want. With AI Mode, Google is aiming to make the search process more conversational and intuitive.

According to Dr. Amelia Peterson, a professor of Computer Science at Stanford University, "This is a significant development in the field of artificial intelligence. Google’s AI Mode is essentially trying to bring about a more human-like conversation with technology. It is designed to understand and respond to complex, multi-part questions, much like a human would in a conversation."

Dr. Peterson further added, "The implications of this are extensive. It could potentially change how we interact with technology on a day-to-day basis, making it more natural and intuitive. This could also open up a whole new world of possibilities for users who are visually impaired or have difficulty typing."

However, as with all new technologies, there will be challenges to overcome. The effectiveness of AI Mode will heavily depend on how well it can understand and interpret complex questions. Google has not yet released any details on the technology behind AI Mode. Hence, it remains to be seen how well it fares in real-world applications.

Google's AI Mode is a significant development, marking a new era in the evolution of search technology. This feature's potential to understand complex, multi-part questions and deliver precise results could revolutionize how we interact with the internet. As Google takes on Perplexity AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search, it's clear that the race to enhance user experience and improve information accuracy is on.

However, as with any new technology, the success of AI Mode will depend on its ability to deliver consistent, reliable results that meet user expectations. As Google continues to refine and enhance this feature, it will be interesting to observe its impact on the internet search landscape.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/05/google-searchs-new-ai-mode-lets-users-ask-complex-multi-part-questions/