Google has announced a global expansion of its AI Mode, a Search feature designed to answer complex questions and facilitate in-depth topic exploration through follow-up queries. The expansion includes making AI Mode available in 180 new countries, initially in English. Previously, the feature was limited to users in the U.S., U.K., and India. Google has indicated plans to extend AI Mode to more languages and regions in the near future.
Alongside this broader availability, Google is introducing new agentic capabilities to AI Mode. Users can now utilize the feature to make restaurant reservations, with future plans to incorporate local service appointments and event ticket bookings. The restaurant reservation feature allows users to specify preferences such as party size, date, time, location, and preferred cuisine. AI Mode then searches across various reservation platforms to identify real-time availability at suitable restaurants, presenting users with a curated list of options.
The restaurant reservation functionality is currently being rolled out to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. through the “Agentic capabilities in AI Mode” experiment within Google Labs. The Ultra plan is Google’s premium offering, priced at $249.99 per month.
Furthermore, U.S. users participating in the AI Mode experiment will now experience personalized search results tailored to their individual preferences and interests. This personalization is initially focused on dining-related topics.
For instance, if a user searches for “I only have an hour, need a quick lunch spot, any suggestions?”, AI Mode will leverage their past conversations, search history, and Maps activity to provide more relevant suggestions. If the system infers a preference for Italian food and outdoor seating, the results will prioritize restaurants matching those criteria.
Google emphasizes that users retain control over their personalization settings, which can be adjusted within their Google Account.
AI Mode has also gained a new collaboration feature. A “Share” button now allows users to send AI Mode responses to others, enabling them to participate in the conversation. This functionality is intended to facilitate collaborative tasks such as planning trips or birthday parties.
