Latest news with #Labs
Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
Google Search is becoming smarter with these AI Mode improvements
Tushar Mehta / Android Authority TL;DR Google's AI Mode is getting a host of new features on mobile and desktop. AI Mode on mobile gets a live video search option, which is accessible through Google Lens. On desktop, AI Mode gets file support and a Canvas option for taking notes while researching. Google's AI Mode is gradually expanding beyond Search and recently made its way to other apps used to look up information on your phone, including Google Lens and Circle to Search. In doing so, it is also bridging the gap between Gemini and AI Mode by adding similar features to search experiences. And today, Google is officially expanding on AI Mode's capabilities, bringing features to improve output and enable collaboration. Firstly, Google is bringing a vital Gemini capability to AI Mode, where you can share a live video for more context and detailed responses. Like Gemini Live's video capabilities, you will also be able to interact with AI Mode in real-time and even interrupt it while it's speaking. Google And owing to similarities, it is called Search Live and will be accessible through Google Lens. For a few months, Search Live has been available as part of the Labs experiments in Search and will soon have a broader reach. Big upgrades to AI Mode on desktop For other new features coming to AI Mode, Google is focusing on the desktop version. AI Mode is gaining better document support on desktop, so you can upload files, including PDFs, and ask very specific questions about topics with the help of AI Mode. Google proposes this as another method students can employ to learn about topics better. Besides uploading files from your computer, you will also be able to access files directly from your Drive. Next, while picture uploads were previously limited to AI Mode on mobile, the functionality is now expanding to the desktop version as well. Google doesn't mention if it will expand video capabilities to desktop, so we will have to wait until the updated AI Mode rolls out to eligible users. Besides better input options, AI Mode gets other Gemini features, including Canvas. Similar to its utility in Gemini, Canvas appears in a dedicated panel on the side, where it can be used as a separate space where you can generate responses, take responses, and then select specific parts to edit or enhance them. Google Google says Canvas, combined with the file upload functionality we discussed above, will be a valuable aid to students or working professionals for preparing for tests or working on assignments and reports. Lastly, Google will soon make it easier to access Lens on Chrome's desktop version with a new feature in the address bar. It will add a new button, allowing you to 'Ask Google about this page.' You will also be able to expand your search directly from the webpage using a dedicated sidebar for AI Mode as seen below: Google While improved Lens utility isn't close to full-fledged agentic browsing, it signals Chrome's expected shift towards assisted web browsing in the coming months or years. These features will slowly start rolling out to users in the US. Search Live is coming this week and will be available to folks who were using it as an experimental feature in AI Mode. File uploads will be available in the coming months, while Canvas will be added to AI Mode as a Labs experiment over the next few weeks. Lastly, Google hasn't specified the release timeline for the improved Lens access in Chrome, but says it will be available 'soon.' Follow
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Google's web guide is the smartest way to search, if you know where to find it
If you've searched anything even remotely broad on Google lately like 'how to start freelancing' or 'travel tips for Japan', you've probably spent more time skimming links than actually learning anything. Google's new experiment, Web Guide, wants to fix that. Google web guide Now live in Search Labs, Web Guide uses AI to group search results into topic-based clusters. Instead of a never-ending scroll of blue links, you'll see subtopics like 'tools for beginners,' 'platforms to avoid,' or 'common mistakes'. Each with a summary and curated links from places like YouTube, Reddit, or trusted websites. The goal? Faster exploration, less tab-hopping. So how does it work? Web Guide uses Google's Gemini model to run your query through something called query fan-out. That means it automatically generates multiple versions of your question behind the scenes. Then it analyses and clusters the results by intent, giving you a guided, bite-sized roadmap of what you're probably looking for. Let's say you search 'how to stay fit at home.' Instead of 10 random blog links, Web Guide might show: 'Best no-equipment workouts' 'Nutrition for home fitness' 'Free fitness apps for beginners' Each cluster is expandable, summarized, and designed to get you to the right rabbit hole, faster. Why it matters Unlike other AI experiments like Google's AI Overview or ChatGPT's browser plug-ins, Web Guide is still link-first. You get AI summaries, yes, but the focus stays on directing you to real sources. It's also toggled on in the 'Web' tab only, so no. Your entire search experience won't change unless you opt into it via Search Labs. Google says this is ideal for 'exploratory' searches—vague, open-ended topics where people need a bit of hand-holding. Should you try it? If you often get lost in search rabbit holes or feel overwhelmed by irrelevant links, Web Guide might be worth a shot. It's not a full-on AI chatbot. It's just a smarter, cleaner way to browse the web with structure. Try it through Search Labs, and for once, maybe you won't need to open 27 tabs to find what you're looking for.
The Verge
6 days ago
- The Verge
Google rethinks search results with its new AI-curated ‘Web Guide'
On Thursday, Google launched Web Guide, a new AI-powered search feature that 'groups links in helpful ways' for people who opt in to the test on Labs. Web Guide runs on a custom version of Google's Gemini AI model to process search queries, reorganizing the traditional '10 blue links' by sorting results and finding related questions using generative AI. For anyone who chooses to enable Web Guide, it is currently available within the same 'Web' tab on Google Search that currently shows search results without including AI Overviews. It uses the same 'query fanout technique' as AI Mode, allowing Gemini to break down queries and make several searches at once. When I searched for 'how to care for a mango tree,' Google's Web Guide pulled up two relevant webpages, followed by an AI-generated summary and links listed under different categories, like 'Mango Tree Care in Specific Climates' and 'Troubleshooting Mango Tree Issues.' Some of the links came from educational resources, like from the University of Florida, while others lead to YouTube videos, Quora, and Reddit threads. Last year, Google made a $60 million per year deal with Reddit to use its content for AI training. It's nice that Web Guide brings back some elements of traditional search, like showing links at the top of your results page instead of bombarding you with an AI Overview and YouTube videos that take up almost half the page. The AI-generated categories were somewhat helpful for tracking down specific bits of information, but the descriptions beneath each heading just seem unnecessary. Beneath 'Comprehensive Mango Tree Care Guides,' for example, Web Guide notes, 'The most effective way to care for a mango tree varies slightly depending on its age, location, and specific cultivar, so it's useful to consult multiple guides for comprehensive instructions,' which is a bit obvious, and probably something I could find out myself from actually clicking one of the surfaced links. You can also use Web Guide to ask more detailed or specific questions, like 'My family is spread across multiple time zones. What are the best tools for staying connected and maintaining close relationships despite the distance?' The AI results will attempt to address the different parts of your question. You can still switch back to regular web results, but Google is already saying it plans on bringing it to the 'All' tab as well. You can try out Web Guide now by toggling on the test in Search Labs. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Emma Roth Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All AI Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Google Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Web
CNET
6 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Google's AI-Powered Virtual Try-On for Online Shopping Is Now Live
Google's Try On, an AI-powered feature in Search that allows you to try on clothes virtually, is now live, the company said Thursday. Try On, previously limited to Labs users, is opening itself up to the broader Google user base. When people search for clothes to buy via Google Search, some items will have a "Try it on" button. It'll then use a photo of you (or one you've uploaded of someone else) and render the clothing over your or their body, taking into account your/their size and shape and forming the clothing around you or them. The process can take 5 to15 seconds. A demonstration of Google's Try On mode. Google Along with Try On, Google Search will get other enhanced shopping features. As the name suggests, Price Alerts gives shoppers a heads-up when the price for an item they're eyeing hits a specific number. By clicking "tap price," users can set up an alert for when the price of an item they want meets their budget. AI Mode, a new vertical in Google Search that's currently limited to Labs users, is getting a new generative imaging feature. It'll use AI image generation to render different clothing styles or room design options, to give some inspiration. It'll also pull up shoppable product listings. Google's integration of more AI-powered features across its product portfolio is now coming for its core money maker: online search. Whereas previously Google focused on delivering the top search results based on people's keyword entries, it's now pivoting to using AI to answer people's questions directly and understand their intent. This fundamental shift is in response to ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot that can answer questions directly with novel answers, despite the complexity. ChatGPT is currently the world's most popular AI chatbot, with 400 million active weekly users. Gemini, Google's own AI chatbot, has 400 million active monthly users. Google Search, however, is still the dominant online search platform, with 6.4 billion unique monthly visits. Integrating AI directly into Google Search acts as a highly popular ingress into Google's AI products. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said AI features are helping increase Google Search usage overall. But AI results in search might be hurting news publishers and other sites that create original content.
Tom's Guide
21-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Google's new AI called toy stores for me — and actually found a Labubu
Google's Gemini AI just got a major upgrade and it's no longer just helping you search. It's picking up the phone and doing the work for you. A new experimental feature, currently rolling out through Google's AI Mode in Search Labs, allows Gemini to call local businesses on your behalf. Using its Duplex technology, the same AI voice that once made restaurant reservations, Gemini can now check prices, confirm inventory, ask about hours and deliver back a clean summary. All you have to do is tap a button and wait for the follow-up. And yes, it actually works. I tested it in a real-life, highly specific scenario: tracking down a Labubu toy for my eight-year-old daughter. Here's what happened and why I think this marks a major shift in how AI will help us get things done. When you search for something like 'pet stores near me' or '24-hour pharmacies near me,' you might see a new prompt underneath certain business listings: 'Have AI check availability' or 'Have AI check pricing.' Tap it, and Gemini will walk you through a short form asking what you're looking for, when you need it and how far you're willing to travel. From there, Gemini uses Duplex to place the call. The AI introduces itself clearly (no pretending to be a real human here) and asks your question directly. You don't need to listen in; once the call is done, Gemini sends a text or email summary with the business's response, including details like product availability, price and store hours. The biggest thing for me was not repeating myself over and over as I called every store. The AI did it for me. This is one of several agent-style features Google is rolling into Search Labs. Others include Deep Search for research, shopping tools that summarize specs across multiple listings, and Gemini 2.5 Pro, a more powerful AI model built for longform reasoning. But the ability to make real-world phone calls is easily the most hands-on feature to date. Let's back up: my daughter has been obsessed with Labubu. For those unfamiliar, this is an overpriced wide-eyed vinyl figure from Pop Mart that's part gremlin, part woodland sprite. The popularity rivals that of Beanie Babies back in the day. These things are oddly hard to find in stores unless you know where to look. And no, you can't just buy one easily on Amazon (trust me, I looked there first). My daughter has been begging me for one for ever and saved her money to pay for half. So, I was determined to track it down. After striking out with a few stores on my own, I spotted the 'Have AI check availability' button under a store listing on Google. I tapped it. Gemini asked a few quick questions about the toy and how far I'd be willing to drive. I was not going to drive into NYC for it, but I said I would pay for shipping. Then I forgot about it until about 40 minutes later, when I got a message. Gemini had called the store, asked about Labubu, confirmed they had some in stock, and included pricing and store hours. I was blown away by how painless this was, especially compared to the chaos of past popular toys. Cabbage Patches, Tickle Me Emo and more would have been so much easier to handle with this feature. There's something quietly brilliant about the way this works. Unlike voice assistants that stop at suggestions, Gemini actually acts on your behalf and does so in a way that feels human, helpful and hands-off. It's not just passively surfacing information, it's solving the problem for you. It's kind of wild. For parents, introverts or just busy people who don't want to spend their afternoon calling five different stores, this is the AI tool we didn't know we needed. The feature is currently available to all U.S. users, with higher usage limits for AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers. Business owners can also opt out if they'd rather not receive AI-driven calls. It's also part of a broader trend we're seeing with agentic AI, tools that actually complete tasks. ChatGPT is doing it with its new agent feature, Perplexity has copilots, and now Google is bringing that capability into the real world through Search. Google's new AI features might seem like small upgrades, until they solve a real problem for you. In my case, that problem was tracking down a popular toy for my daughter, and Gemini nailed it. The toy is being shipped out, so I'll update this story with "Big Into Energy" Labubu when it arrives. We're entering a new era where AI is proactive. And if it means I never have to waste time on hold again, I'm definitely here for it.
