Google’s AI Assistant Arrives on Chrome for Android & iOS
▼ Summary
– Google has officially launched a new AI Mode shortcut on Chrome for Android and iOS, accessible via google.com/aimode on the New Tab Page.
– The AI Mode button is pill-shaped and appears alongside an Incognito button, both with icons, expanding on earlier desktop introductions.
– This feature is rolling out in the US today and will soon be available in 160 new countries and languages, including Hindi and Japanese.
– Google has expanded AI Mode’s capabilities to include booking event tickets and beauty/wellness appointments, in addition to restaurant reservations.
– These agentic booking features are now available to all users who opt into the Labs experiment, with AI Pro and Ultra subscribers receiving higher limits.
Google’s AI Assistant is now accessible through the Chrome browser on both Android and iOS devices, marking a significant expansion of its capabilities for mobile users. This development introduces a more integrated and proactive search experience directly within the browser, enhancing how people interact with information on their phones and tablets.
A new “AI Mode” shortcut has officially launched on the New Tab Page for Chrome users in the United States. By visiting google.com/aimode, you will find a pill-shaped button positioned just beneath the search bar, which itself has been slightly enlarged. This button is displayed alongside the familiar “Incognito” mode icon, creating a streamlined interface for accessing different browsing features. This mobile rollout follows the earlier introduction of a similar AI Mode shortcut for the desktop version of Chrome.
The availability of this feature is set to broaden considerably in the near future. Google has confirmed plans to launch it in 160 new countries and support additional languages, including Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese. This global expansion will make the AI-powered tools accessible to a much wider audience.
In a parallel update, Google has significantly enhanced the practical functionality of AI Mode. The feature now includes advanced agentic booking capabilities for events and appointments. Initially launched with support for restaurant reservations, the system allows you to specify details like party size, date, time, location, and cuisine preference. The AI then utilizes its live web browsing technology to find and present suitable options.
Building on its earlier promises, the assistant can now also be used to book event tickets and schedule beauty and wellness appointments. While these powerful agentic features were originally exclusive to Google AI Ultra subscribers, they are now available to all users who have chosen to enable the “Agentic capabilities in AI Mode” experiment in Google Labs. Subscribers to the AI Pro and Ultra tiers will continue to enjoy the benefit of higher usage limits for these tasks.
(Source: 9to5 Google)
