Google rolls out AI features for users in India
▼ Summary
– Google launched its experimental AI mode in India, requiring users to opt in via Search Labs to access the Q&A-style search tool.
– The tool currently supports English queries, with no confirmed timeline for local language support, and allows complex, multi-part questions with follow-up refinements.
– Google initially tested AI mode with U.S. premium subscribers, later expanding it to all U.S. users and adding features like shopping, voice, image search, and ads.
– In India, voice and image search are supported, powered by Gemini 2.5, with early testers submitting queries 2-3x longer than usual.
– Google aims to compete with AI tools like ChatGPT by targeting India’s 870 million internet users, a key market for testing multilingual product usage.
Google has launched its experimental AI-powered search feature for users in India, marking another step in the tech giant’s global expansion of artificial intelligence tools. The new functionality, accessible through Search Labs, allows English-speaking users to ask complex questions and receive detailed responses, though support for regional languages remains unconfirmed.
Once enabled, the feature lets people pose multi-layered queries—like requesting indoor activity ideas for energetic children during hot weather—and refine answers with follow-up questions. This conversational approach mirrors the growing preference for chat-based AI assistants, positioning Google to compete with platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Initially tested with U.S. premium subscribers earlier this year, the AI mode later rolled out broadly after Google I/O. Since then, the company has integrated shopping capabilities, voice and image search, and even advertisements. Voice search is particularly relevant for India, where spoken queries are widely used, and the local version runs on a tailored Gemini 2.5 model. Early adopters are reportedly submitting queries two to three times longer than traditional searches.
With over 870 million internet users, India serves as a critical market and testing ground for Google’s multilingual and AI-driven innovations. While the company dominates search globally, the rise of alternative AI tools has pushed it to enhance its offerings. Beyond this feature, Google has also promoted AI Overviews, which condense search results, now used by 1.5 billion people worldwide. However, recent reports suggest these AI summaries may be reducing traffic to publishers relying on organic search visibility.
The rollout underscores Google’s strategy to retain users by integrating AI seamlessly into search, ensuring it remains the go-to platform even as preferences shift toward conversational interfaces.
(Source: TechCrunch)
