Google is working to transform search from a simple static results page into a more interactive AI-driven experience. On January 27, Google announced a major update: users can now directly ask follow-up questions about "AI Overviews," enabling a more natural conversational search experience.

Key Feature Updates

Seamless AI Mode Integration: Users can now ask follow-up questions directly from the AI-generated summary at the top of search results. The system will guide users into AI Mode (Google's conversational search feature for complex questions) and engage in in-depth discussions while maintaining context.

Global Model Upgrade: Google confirmed that Gemini 3 has been set as the default model for "AI Overviews" worldwide. This move aims to provide higher-quality AI responses on search result pages.

Shift in Interaction Experience

Robby Stein, Vice President of Google Search, stated that while users sometimes only need quick information like weather or scores, it is crucial to seamlessly switch to a powerful conversational AI experience for topics requiring deeper research.

Test data shows that users prefer this natural flow of interaction, especially when engaging in multi-turn Q&A while retaining the search context, which significantly enhances the practicality of search.

Related Developments

This update is part of Google's effort to build a "Personal Intelligence" ecosystem:

Platform-wide Connectivity: AI Mode has recently gained the ability to access Gmail and Google Photos data, providing more personalized responses.

Office Application Integration: Google recently introduced the AI Overview feature in Gmail, allowing users to retrieve inbox information using natural language instead of relying on traditional keyword searches.

Through a series of actions, Google is gradually integrating search, email, and various cloud tools into a unified AI interaction flow, setting a new standard for the AI assistant competition in 2026.