How to use — or avoid — Google’s new AI search mode

Artificial intelligence has arrived in Google Search, changing how billions of people find information online.

Google’s new AI Mode lets users chat with an assistant that summarizes answers, analyzes images or files, and follows up in conversation. But experts stress an important point: AI tools like ChatGPT are not search engines, and should never be treated as such.

A new way to search

When you activate AI Mode, Google provides conversational summaries instead of a list of links. You can upload a photo of a broken appliance and ask how to fix it, or request a shortlist of affordable smartphones. The system combines information from across the web into one answer, sometimes including links to sources.

It’s a quicker, friendlier experience, but not necessarily a more accurate one. Google itself warns that “AI responses may include mistakes,” and these can range from minor inaccuracies to entirely false claims.

What AI can and can’t do

Chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini work very differently from search engines. They do not browse the internet in real time. Instead, they rely on data collected during earlier web crawls, which means their knowledge is limited to when that information was last gathered.

That makes them excellent sparring partners for thinking through ideas, summarizing complex topics, or drafting text when you already have reliable and up-to-date facts. But they are not trustworthy sources for breaking news, new research, or current data, because they cannot confirm what is true today.

A search engine constantly indexes the web and directs you to verifiable sources. AI models, on the other hand, generate predictions based on patterns in past data. Confusing the two leads to misinformation.

Managing AI Mode

AI Mode is now built directly into Google’s homepage. You can enter it through a pop-up invitation or by clicking the AI Mode button beside the search bar. Once inside, you can type or speak your query, upload files or images, and continue the conversation with follow-up questions.

Your AI Mode activity appears in your Google account history, where it can be reviewed or deleted. To return to traditional search results, simply click “All” at the top of the page.

How to avoid AI Mode

While you cannot fully turn AI Mode off, you can ignore it. Stick to classic Google search results, skip the AI Overview summaries, or use alternative engines like DuckDuckGo, which still allow searches without AI-generated responses.

A tool, not a truth source

AI systems can be useful for brainstorming or learning, but they are not designed to verify facts. ChatGPT and similar models work best when given accurate, current information to help refine or expand ideas. They can help you think—but not know.

Sources: Google, Popular Science

This article is made and published by Asger Risom, who may have used AI in the preparation