Google just made its AI only one tap away on Android
You can choose to bring AI Mode front and center. | Image credit – 9to5Google Setting it up is pretty simple. Just long-press the widget on your homescreen, tap "Customize," and head into the Shortcuts section. "AI Mode" is now right there, second on the list. If you're not using a Pixel phone, this widget might be the quickest way to access AI Mode.
But there's a catch: if you're not part of the "AI Mode" Search Lab, things still look like before. You'll see the shortcut as a pill under the Search bar, not part of it – and you'll miss out on the sleeker UI that's rolling out to users in the new Discover feed design, complete with Search Live access.
Old vs new look. | Image credit – 9to5Google There's actually a lot going on with Search lately. Google now lets you dig deeper using AI Overview with a set of three handy follow-up buttons. It can even make phone calls to businesses on your behalf and handle deep research tasks. The new "Search Live" feature is rolling out too, letting you speak casually and get real-time answers. And AI Mode is also expanding to Circle to Search, bringing gaming support and upgraded visuals.
Basically, Google's AI is everywhere in Search now – and it's not slowing down. On top of that, the company is also testing a new way to organize results into categories, which could seriously change how we find things online. But while all this sounds great for saving time, I believe there's a flip side. With AI constantly trying to predict what we want, there's a risk we might stop exploring, stop learning new things, and miss out on results we didn't know we needed.
It's a shiny new era for Search – but whether it makes us smarter or just more efficient… well, that part's still up in the air.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GSM Arena
10 minutes ago
- GSM Arena
Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro designs leak, Week 31 in review
The iPhone 17 Pro, uncharacteristically, leaked in the wild after taking a stroll around Union Square, San Francisco. The phone has a design-protective case, but we can still make out the repositioned LED and LiDAR in the top corner, falling in line with rumors. We also saw iPhone 17 dummies, showing the new color palette. The orange is particularly striking. Expect the iPhone 17 series to be announced in early September, possibly on the 12th. It's not often that we get to see unreleased iPhones in public. The 17 Pro and Pro Max will be available in a bold new orange hue. You can get a better look this time around. We also saw the design of the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, thanks to leaked renders. The phone will be flat, slightly wider, and taller than its predecessor, and is expected to be slightly lighter. The rear cameras are no longer just isolated lenses on the rear panel - there's a small, Galaxy Z Fold7-esque island housing three of the four cameras. Samsung also confirmed that the Galaxy S25 FE will launch earlier than its predecessor. Samsung hasn't said when, but the S24 FE was unveiled in September and launched in October, which gives us a rough timeframe. Samsung's next-gen Ultra flagship will be thinner and lighter while featuring updated cameras and faster wired charging. Most of its specs have already been leaked. It's a rebranded Redmi Note 14 with a lower starting price and a new Crimson Art color option. The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ will be the first Redmi device to have satellite connectivity when it launches in China. Meanwhile, the Poco X8 Pro may have been certified already. It will be a rebranded version of the China-exclusive Redmi Turbo 5. If all of this pans out, then the Poco X8 Pro should be powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 8500 SoC, and boast a 6.67-inch OLED screen with "1.5K" resolution. A metal frame and an overall thin and light build will also be in. It's interesting that the K series didn't get a go at it before. It's unclear if this means it's launching early or not. The phone is expected to become official next month. It will slot right in between the 8s and 8 Elite.
Phone Arena
41 minutes ago
- Phone Arena
Google's Pixel 9a is my top 2025 mid-range pick, and it's finally available at the perfect price
This may sound odd coming from a mobile tech writer with more than a decade of experience in the field, but I'm not exactly what you'd call a smartphone power user. You can call me cheap or unsophisticated if you want, but I can name multiple devices in the $400 to $600 price range right now that I feel are more than adequately equipped to satisfy my day-to-day needs just as a $1,000+ phone would. The Pixel 9a is not only one of those devices, but the one I like most and would strongly recommend to anyone who feels the above description might apply to them as well. Do you own a mid-range Android handset and want to switch to a new one... without having to spend a small fortune? 5G, Unlocked, 128GB Storage, 8GB RAM, 6.3-Inch P-OLED Screen with 2424 x 1080 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, Google Tensor G4 Processor, Android 15, Google Gemini, 48 + 13MP Dual Rear-Facing Camera System, 13MP Front-Facing Camera, 5,100mAh Battery, 23W Charging Capabilities, Four Color Options Buy at Amazon 5G, Unlocked, 256GB Storage, 8GB RAM, 6.3-Inch P-OLED Screen with 2424 x 1080 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, Google Tensor G4 Processor, Android 15, Google Gemini, 48 + 13MP Dual Rear-Facing Camera System, 13MP Front-Facing Camera, 5,100mAh Battery, 23W Charging Capabilities, Two Color Options Buy at Amazon Then this is the time to pull the trigger, as Amazon sells the Google-made 6.3-incher with Tensor G4 processing power at $100 less than usual. That discount, believe it or not, is totally unprecedented, even beating the e-commerce giant's Prime-exclusive price cut from last month, and incredibly enough, it applies to a bunch of different color options, as well as both of the Pixel 9a 's storage variants. To be completely honest, I kind of felt like the phone was a bit overpriced at $499 and up when it made its (delayed) commercial debut a few months ago. But at $100 below that point with 128 gigs of internal storage space and $100 off a regular price of $599 in a 256GB configuration, the Pixel 9a may have reached budget-friendly perfection. Clean and unsophisticated, the Pixel 9a is my kind of phone. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena That Tensor G4 chip, mind you, is the same one found inside the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro , and Pixel 9 Pro XL, all three of which technically fall into the high-end category, fetching... appropriately high prices. The 48 + 13MP dual rear-facing camera and 5,100mAh battery are also worthy of a high-end label (and fitting price tag), and not just in theory. Our in-depth Google Pixel 9a review proves that the real-world battery life, camera performance, overall system speed, and user experience are all as impressive as they look on paper, which begs an obvious question - why am I trying to convince you to buy this phone at a new record high discount when I could be doing the same? Now if you'll excuse me, I have an Amazon order to make. When you switch to Total Wireless, keep your number & grab 3 mo. of 5G We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
2 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Amazon is incredibly selling the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra at an unbeatable $500 discount
If you can't afford Samsung's latest (non-foldable) super-flagship even at a towering $300 discount with no special requirements or strings attached of any sort, you might want to consider picking up the company's previous ultra-high-end 6.8-inch handset with a built-in S Pen... as soon as possible. That's because Amazon is currently charging a whopping 500 bucks less than usual for an unlocked Galaxy S24 Ultra in an entry-level 256GB storage configuration and a single "Titanium Gray" color option. Obviously, the early 2024-released Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powerhouse hasn't been worth $1,299.99 in a long time, but despite scoring plenty of hefty discounts over the last year or so, this appears to be a totally unprecedented promotion, at least at this particular retailer. 5G, Unlocked, 256GB Storage, 12GB RAM, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Processor, 6.8-Inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display with 3120 x 1440 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, Titanium Frame, 200 + 50 + 10 + 12MP Quad Rear-Facing Camera System, 12MP Front-Facing Camera, 5,000mAh Battery with 45W Charging Capabilities, Android 15, Galaxy AI, S Pen Included, Gray Color Buy at Amazon Samsung's stellar long-term software support all but guarantees that time will not leave much of a mark on this bad boy from a general user experience perspective, and unless you like your (super-premium) smartphone exceptionally slim and lightweight, the S25 Ultra may not seem like a major improvement over its predecessor and the same could also be true for next year's Galaxy S26 Ultra. Despite its somewhat advanced age, the S24 Ultra remains hard to beat in terms of build quality and camera performance, basically checking every box to satisfy a power user seeking the ideal value proposition right now.
