Google Rolls Out Experimental AI Mode to Indian Search Users

TL;DR

• Google has launched its experimental AI mode in India, a Q&A-style search assistant powered by Gemini 2.5.
  
• Users must opt in via Search Labs, and can use voice or image queries.
  
• The feature is currently only available in English, with no timeline for local language support.
  
• AI mode allows for multi-part queries and follow-up refinement, reflecting rising demand for conversational search tools.
  
• India becomes the second major market after the U.S. to receive wide access to the feature.
  

Google Expands Its AI Strategy to the Indian Market

In a significant move aimed at expanding its AI-driven services, Google has launched its AI mode — a conversational search experience — for users in India. The announcement, made Tuesday night, marks the feature’s first international expansion outside the United States.

The rollout comes as part of Search Labs, Google’s experimental sandbox for testing new AI products. Indian users can now opt in to Google’s AI mode, enabling natural language search queries using a custom version of Gemini 2.5, Google’s most advanced family of models.

What Is Google’s AI Mode?

AI mode functions as an interactive question-and-answer interface layered on top of Google Search. Rather than returning a list of links, it generates structured responses to complex prompts like:

“My kids are 4 and 7 and have lots of energy. Suggest creative ways to get them active and moving indoors, especially on hot days, without needing a lot of space or expensive toys.”

The model also supports follow-up questions, enabling a more refined and conversational experience — akin to what users may be familiar with on ChatGPT or Perplexity.

Voice and Image Search Supported in India

India’s rollout includes voice and image input capabilities, which Google noted were especially important for local audiences. With over 870 million internet users, many of whom rely on voice-first interactions, this adaptation aligns with user behavior.

“Early testers are asking 2-3x longer queries,” said Google in its official statement, highlighting the growing appetite for natural language search tools.

While the mode is currently limited to English, the company has not ruled out support for Hindi and regional languages in future updates.

Context: How Google’s AI Mode Evolved

Google initially introduced AI mode as a premium feature for U.S. subscribers earlier in 2025. It was expanded to all U.S. users following the Google I/O event, where the company unveiled major upgrades including:

• A shopping assistant layer
  
• Ads integrated into AI-generated responses
  
• Multimodal inputs via voice and images
  

India is now the first testbed market outside the U.S. where the full set of these capabilities — including AI Overviews and Gemini-powered search — are available at scale.

Google AI Mode Rollout

A Strategic Move Amid Rising AI Competition

India is a key market for Google — not only because of its massive user base, but also due to its multilingual and mobile-first profile. The AI mode launch allows Google to retain dominance in a market where AI-first search alternatives like ChatGPT and Perplexity AI are beginning to gain traction.

“While Google still leads the search market, conversational AI tools are reshaping user expectations,” said AI analyst Sameer Dubey from Kantar.

The Role of Gemini 2.5 in Local Search

Google has deployed a custom variant of its Gemini 2.5 model in India to power the AI mode. The model is fine-tuned for on-device reasoning and long-form query handling, making it ideal for mobile-first markets.

Gemini’s architecture supports multimodal search, enabling users to upload images or speak their queries — both commonly preferred in India’s digital culture. According to Google’s developer blog, Gemini 2.5’s parameters are optimized to operate at high efficiency on low-latency networks typical in emerging markets.

What’s Missing: Local Language & Publisher Controls

While this marks a milestone in global AI product rollout, notable limitations persist:

• No support for Indian regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, or Bengali
  
• No transparency on how publisher content is repurposed in AI responses
  
• No clarification on data governance or regulatory compliance for the Indian market
  

This comes at a time when publishers globally are pushing back against AI-generated overviews, claiming significant traffic declines from Google Search since the introduction of Gemini-based summaries.

In early June, The Wall Street Journal reported that AI Overviews were causing measurable drops in organic publisher traffic — a concern that could grow as AI mode expands.

Google’s Broader AI Push in India

Beyond AI mode, Google has been aggressively rolling out AI-based features across its ecosystem in India, including:

• AI Overviews that summarize search pages
  
• Gemini Assistant in Android and Gmail
  
• Voice-based AI search ads, now in pilot
  

Google is also testing monetization strategies by placing ads inside AI-generated answers — a move that has attracted both interest and scrutiny.

Looking Ahead: A Test Market for the Future of Search

India serves as a critical testing ground for how search interfaces may evolve worldwide. The country’s diverse demographics, massive mobile usage, and voice-dominant behavior offer a near-perfect laboratory for conversational AI.If the AI mode sees strong engagement, we can expect Google to fast-track its multilingual rollout and further integrate Gemini into Maps, YouTube, and Android Search. However, success will also depend on regulatory reception, user trust, and publisher cooperation.