As OpenAI goes into “code red” over competitive pressures, Google has begun testing a new feature that merges its AI Overviews with AI Mode in Search. The update allows users who receive an AI-generated summary above their search results to continue the interaction by asking follow-up questions in a conversational interface.
AI Mode, powered by Google’s Gemini model, first launched to U.S. users in May before expanding globally in August. Initially, accessing this conversational experience required users to proactively switch into an AI chat environment – a choice that depended on whether they expected to ask follow-up questions or needed only a quick search result.
With this new test, announced Monday, that distinction begins to fade. Google says users will be able to “seamlessly go deeper” into AI Mode directly from the main Search results page. The experiment is rolling out globally but is currently limited to mobile devices.
The change arrives amid broader competitive momentum. Gemini has grown to more than 650 million monthly users, driven by updates including the Nano Banana image model and other model improvements. Integrating conversational AI with AI Overviews – which reaches 2 billion monthly users – could help Gemini accelerate further into mainstream adoption.
Google frames the shift as a natural evolution of how information is explored online. Users may begin with a simple query but often end up diving deeper. Eliminating the distinction between search and chat could reduce friction in that process.
Robby Stein, Google’s VP of Product for Search, noted in a post on X that users shouldn’t have to think about the format of their question:
(1/2) Today we’re starting to test a new way to seamlessly go deeper in AI Mode directly from the Search results page on mobile, globally.
This brings us closer to our vision for Search: just ask whatever’s on your mind – no matter how long or complex – and find exactly what you… pic.twitter.com/mcCS7oT2FI
— Robby Stein (@rmstein) December 1, 2025
Meanwhile, at OpenAI, internal focus has tightened around strengthening ChatGPT as rivals like Google push aggressively into the consumer search experience. The company has paused multiple initiatives to ensure the product remains competitive — an effort underscored by the urgency of its “code red” posture.