Google has begun to activate its new search experience in Spain, the AI mode, a format that generates comprehensive and contextualized responses based on your queries. This launch is part of a broader global expansion, with support in dozens of languages ​​and countries, and promises a clear leap in reasoning, multimodality and depth of results, in a context where privacy features such as Gmail confidential mode become relevant.
For the user, the novelty translates into a specific button which will appear on both the Search results page and the Google app for Android and iOSIts activation will be gradual, free, and, for now, will coexist with the classic link list, so you can choose when to use this AI-assisted experience.
What is AI Mode and how to activate it?
AI Mode is, according to the company, its most advanced search experience to date. It appears as a new button in the results interface: when you click it, Google relies on its models Gemini to summarize information from the web and present it in explanations, tables, lists, and supporting links. Currently, it's optional: you decide when to activate it.
It is designed for richer, more open queries, what Google calls exploratory questions. Hence, early adopters are formulating queries two or three times longer than those in traditional searches. A typical example is asking for a comparative of coffee preparation methods and then ask again about the ideal grind thickness for each technique.
Another key is its multimodal character. You can consult by text, voice or image: just speak into the microphone, use the interpreter mode on Android or write in natural language or upload a photo (for example, of a menu or an object) so that the AI ​​understands the context and returns an appropriate response, with the possibility of following up talking to fine-tune the result.
To achieve this, Google uses a technique of query decomposition: divide your question into subtopics, launch simultaneous searches, and generate a structured answer supported by sources. You'll often see Helpful Links at the end of paragraphs or sections to delve deeper into the original information.
The deployment is part of an expansion that adds 36 new languages and near 50 countries and territories, now surpassing 200 globally. Its arrival in Europe is especially significant, given the demanding regulatory environment; in Spain, it will be gradually activated for all users over the next few days.
Impact on traffic and search experience
The big question revolves around the effect on web trafficSome preliminary analyses in markets where it's already operating show significant drops in clicks to external sites when the answers generated address most of the question on the results page itself. At the same time, other studies indicate a diversification of the number of websites visited for complex questions.
Google replies that its priority remains connect with diverse content and perspectives, and defends that the clicks that come from this experience are from higher quality (users who are more aligned with what they're looking for and willing to dig deeper). Also remember that AI in Search relies on its usual quality and ranking systems.
With regards to reliability, the company assures that it will show an AI-generated answer whenever possible; when there is not enough confidence in the result, the system will offer the traditional set of web results. The goal is to facilitate more verifiable results without giving up the diversity of sources.
The experience is, moreover, conversational: You can continue the thread with follow-up questions, clarify the query, and ask for clarification without losing context. This way, tasks like plan a trip, understanding complex instructions or researching a topic can be solved in fewer steps than before.
All of this comes at a time when competition in AI-assisted searches has grown sharply. With AI Mode, Google is trying to respond to this change in habits with a proposal that combines advanced reasoning, multimodality and direct access to the web, keeping the classic search available for those who prefer the traditional format.
With the availability of AI Mode in Spain, queries can be longer, more detailed, and more natural, with quick responses, links to expand the information, and voice and image options. The rollout will be gradual. Free and configurable, as Google continues to fine-tune quality, result verification, and the balance between generated summaries and access to original sources.
