New Delhi: Google has changed some of the features in its usual cultural or historical Doodle. The tech giant showcased an animated promo for AI Mode, its latest AI-powered search tool. This unusual move aims to draw attention to AI Mode, Google’s Gemini-powered chatbot interface, designed to answer complex queries in a conversational format.
Google’s AI Mode isn’t brand-new. It was first introduced back in March 2025, appearing beside regular search results, and it selects countries. However, this is the most visible placement it has received so far. Powered by Gemini, Google’s most advanced large language model, AI mode allows users to ask complex or multi-part questions. Get in-depth, AI-generated responses, and interact through text, voice, or even image uploads.
The tool is designed to help users save time by combining multiple queries into a single, detailed result, essentially providing a conversational search experience. The promotional use of the homepage, generally reserved for tributes, highlights how seriously Google is taking the adoption of AI. A spokesperson clarified that this wasn’t a traditional Doodle, but rather a fun promotional effort to raise awareness.
Google has also been experimenting with placing AI Mode in prime homepage locations before. In May, the company briefly swapped out the iconic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button for an AI Mode shortcut, signalling its intent to reshape user behaviour.
This latest move appears to be part of a broader strategy to compete with emerging AI players, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Claude by Anthropic, and Perplexity AI. With the bold message takeover, Google is not just advertising a feature; it’s nudging billions of users to engage with a new way to search. As AI becomes more central to the internet experience, AI Mode is Google’s vision of a brighter, more intuitive future, powered by Gemini.
