Google’s AI Mode launches in Australia today, handling complex questions traditional search couldn’t tackle
What’s happening: Google has launched AI Mode in Australia, enabling users to ask complex, multi-layered questions and receive comprehensive AI-powered responses. The feature, powered by advanced Gemini models, breaks questions into subtopics and searches multiple queries simultaneously, with early testers already asking questions three times longer than traditional searches.
Why this matters: This represents a fundamental shift in how Australian businesses and consumers access information online. The technology could impact how companies approach SEO, content creation, and digital marketing, while potentially changing consumer research behaviours for everything from travel planning to product comparisons.
Google has rolled out its AI Mode search experience to Australian users today, marking a significant evolution in how people can interact with the search engine that processes billions of queries daily.
The feature, which Google describes as its “most powerful AI search experience yet,” arrives in Australia following initial testing in the United States earlier this year. Using a custom version of Google’s advanced Gemini models, the technology enables users to pose longer, more complex questions that would have previously required multiple separate searches.
Complex questions welcome
According to Google, early testers are already asking queries nearly three times the length of traditional searches, indicating the technology is resonating with users who have more intricate information needs. The system employs what Google calls a “query fan-out technique,” which breaks questions into subtopics and issues multiple queries simultaneously.
For instance, users can now ask detailed questions such as: “Create a walkable itinerary for my friends and I in Melbourne this Saturday. We want to cafe hop at some lesser known specialty coffee shops, visit art galleries, and see local street art.” They can then follow up with additional queries like: “What are some local food spots that we can get along the way for lunch and dinner?”
Multimodal capabilities
The AI Mode isn’t limited to text-based queries. Google has designed the system to be multimodal, allowing users to interact through text, voice, or images. Users can snap photos, upload images, or use voice commands to ask questions, expanding the ways people can search for information.
This multimodal approach particularly benefits scenarios where visual context matters, such as identifying items on a restaurant menu or understanding product specifications from packaging.
Google emphasises that helping people discover content from across the web remains central to its mission. The company states that AI Mode shows “prominent links for people to click on” and aims to connect users with relevant web content in various formats.
“With AI Overviews, we’re seeing that people have been visiting a greater diversity of websites for help with more complex questions,” Google noted in its announcement. The company also reports that clicks from search result pages with AI Overviews are “higher quality for websites,” with users spending more time on the sites they visit.
Quality commitments
The technology integrates with Google’s existing information systems, including the Knowledge Graph and shopping data for what the company describes as “billions of products.” This integration aims to provide fresh, real-time information alongside AI-generated responses.
Google acknowledges the experimental nature of the technology, stating: “As with any early-stage AI product, we won’t always get it right, but we are committed to continuous improvement.” The system is designed to show traditional web search results when it lacks high confidence in an AI-powered response.
The rollout comes as businesses globally grapple with the integration of AI technologies into their operations, with many Australian companies exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency.
For Australian businesses, the arrival of AI Mode could signal changes in how consumers research products, compare services, and make purchasing decisions. The ability to ask more nuanced questions and receive comprehensive answers may influence everything from marketing strategies to customer service approaches.
The launch positions Google alongside other tech giants racing to integrate advanced AI capabilities into consumer-facing products, as the search giant continues to evolve its core product for an AI-driven future.
Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
