At Google I/O 2026, the company announced a sweeping overhaul of Search, including a new default AI model, a redesigned search box, background information agents, and generative UI tools.
Google has rolled out its most significant Search update in decades, replacing the underlying model in AI Mode with Gemini 3.5 Flash and introducing a suite of agentic and generative features aimed at developers and everyday users alike. [1]
Gemini 3.5 Flash — described by Google as delivering “sustained frontier performance for agents and coding” — is now the default model powering AI Mode globally, effective immediately as of the I/O announcement. [1]
Alongside the model swap, Google is shipping what it calls the biggest redesign of the Search box in over 25 years. [1] The new interface dynamically expands to accommodate longer queries, offers AI-powered suggestions that go beyond standard autocomplete, and accepts text, images, files, videos, and Chrome browser tabs as inputs. [1] The redesigned box is rolling out today in all countries and languages where AI Mode is currently available. [1]
AI Mode itself has reached one billion monthly users just one year after launch, with query volume more than doubling every quarter since debut, according to Google. [1] The company also reported that overall Search queries hit an all-time high last quarter. [1]
A new conversational flow lets users ask follow-up questions directly from an AI Overview and carry context into a back-and-forth session with AI Mode, with the company saying relevant links and supporting articles become more targeted as a conversation deepens. [1] That experience is live today on desktop and mobile worldwide. [1]
The headline agentic addition is what Google calls information agents — background processes that continuously scan the web, including blogs, news sites, social posts, and real-time data feeds covering finance, shopping, and sports, to surface updates matching a user’s stated criteria. [1] Google gave examples such as monitoring apartment listings against a detailed set of requirements or tracking sneaker collaboration announcements from specific athletes. [1] Information agents will launch first for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers this summer. [1]
Google is also expanding agentic booking in Search to cover local experiences and services in the United States. [1] Users can specify detailed criteria — the company cited finding a private karaoke room for six on a Friday night that serves food late — and Search will surface pricing and availability with direct booking links. [1] For select categories including home repair, beauty, and pet care, Google says Search can place phone calls to businesses on a user’s behalf. [1] These capabilities are slated to reach all U.S. users this summer. [1]
On the generative interface side, Google is bringing what it calls Google Antigravity and the coding capabilities of Gemini 3.5 Flash into Search to produce custom generative user interfaces (UI) on the fly. [1] The system can assemble interactive visuals, tables, graphs, and simulations in real time, tailored to a specific query. [1] Generative UI will be available to all Search users this summer at no charge. [1]
A step further, Search will be able to build persistent custom dashboards or trackers — described as “mini apps” for ongoing tasks such as wedding planning or managing a home move. [1] The example given is a fitness tracker that pulls from real-time sources including reviews, live maps, and local weather data. [1] The ability to build these custom experiences will roll out in the coming months, starting with Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S. [1]
Finally, Google is expanding its Personal Intelligence feature — which lets AI Mode draw on data from connected apps such as Gmail and Google Photos, with Google Calendar support coming soon — to users in nearly 200 countries and territories across 98 languages, with no subscription required. [1] Google states that users control whether and when apps are connected. [1]
Sources
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