Google enhances Search with follow-up questions; tests AI Mode, AI Overview merger

Tech giant Google has begun testing the integration of AI Mode with AI Overview, the company’s vice president of products, Robby Stein, confirmed on X.


The feature will allow Google Search to ask follow-up questions and deliver more precise, conversational answers through its artificial intelligence (AI) systems.


In a video demonstrating the feature, Stein shared a travel-planning scenario involving his children, aged four and six. He asked Search for advice on what to prioritise when packing to ensure a smooth trip.

Google’s AI Overview responded with suggestions, after which Stein was able to ask additional follow-up questions, including ways to keep his kids entertained during the flight.

This conversational flow, enabled by the integration of AI Mode, is what Google aims to refine. Stein has termed this the “one seamless experience.”

According to reports, the feature will be rolled out first on mobile devices.

Google introduced its AI-powered search feature in India in June this year, expanding its availability after initial testing with a limited group. The new mode, initially announced by CEO Sundar Pichai in May, aims to provide more in-depth reasoning, multimodality, and follow-up question capabilities.

The AI mode utilises a custom version of Gemini 2.5, enabling users to ask more complex questions.

In September, Google unveiled its new AI feature, Search Live, in India, which enables users to have interactive conversations with Google Search through both voice and video.

Competition in the browsing space

Google Search competes with the likes of Perplexity’s Comet browser, launched in July this year, and OpenAI’s Atlas in October.

Atlas has also attempted to merge ChatGPT capabilities with the web browser, allowing users to summarise articles, analyse content, or get real-time help. With the "cursor chat" tool, users can highlight text in emails or documents and ask ChatGPT to improve or edit it directly.

Comet is a chatbot-style browser that acts like an AI-powered search engine similar to what Google is now testing. It can summarise emails, browse the web, and carry out tasks such as sending calendar invites.

Google still holds dominance in the search space, where it has a market share of over 90%.