Google on Wednesday unveiled a new shortcut button for AI Mode on mobile Chrome, broadening global access to its conversational search feature as part of its deepening push to weave artificial intelligence into every layer of its products—especially Search.

The new AI Mode shortcut, now available to users in the United States, will appear directly under the search bar on Chrome’s “New Tab” page, allowing people to pose complex questions, refine follow-ups, and explore topics more deeply within Search. The feature is set to expand to 160 more countries and additional languages, including Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese, over the coming weeks.

The rollout comes as Google seeks to make AI-powered browsing as seamless as possible, encouraging users to stay within its ecosystem amid competition from OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search and Perplexity AI, both of which have gained traction for providing direct, AI-generated answers rather than traditional links.

Google’s broader AI integration drive, however, has met resistance from news outlets and web publishers, who argue that the company’s AI Overview feature—previously known as the “Search Generative Experience” (SGE)—is threatening their visibility and revenue.

AI Overview, rolled out earlier this year in the U.S. and several other markets, summarizes answers directly at the top of Search results using generative AI. Users can read concise AI-generated responses to questions without having to click through to websites.

While Google says the feature is designed to help users “get to the heart of information faster,” publishers argue it undercuts traffic by displacing the need to visit original sources.

According to data from Similarweb, some major publishers saw organic traffic drop between 20% and 40% in test regions after AI Overviews were introduced. The News/Media Alliance, which represents over 2,000 outlets, said in a statement that Google’s approach appropriates journalism under the guise of AI convenience, warning that the model could undermine the economic foundation of independent reporting.

Google has defended AI Overview, saying it still drives “valuable clicks” to publishers and that links are clearly cited within AI summaries. Liz Reid, head of Google Search, said in May that AI Overviews “actually increase engagement” for certain queries by giving users “a richer starting point.”

Building an AI-First Search Ecosystem

The introduction of the AI Mode shortcut marks Google’s latest move to embed generative AI more deeply into Search, turning it into what CEO Sundar Pichai has described as “the most useful personal assistant on the web.”

AI Mode, first launched in March 2025, allows users to have conversational interactions directly within Search, combining real-time web data with Gemini, Google’s most advanced AI model. Since its debut, the company has rolled out a steady stream of enhancements, positioning AI Mode as the backbone of what it calls “Search’s next chapter.”

Earlier this week, Google introduced new “agentic” capabilities within AI Mode that allow users to book event tickets, restaurant reservations, and beauty or wellness appointments through conversational prompts. The tool already supports Canvas, a feature launched in July that lets users organize study plans, track projects, and summarize content over multiple sessions, and it also integrates Google Lens for visual queries about objects on the screen.

Chrome as the AI Gateway

By adding the shortcut to Chrome’s “New Tab” page, Google is turning its browser into a direct portal for AI-assisted exploration, reducing friction between search, discovery, and action. Analysts see this as a strategic move to ensure that users stay within Google’s ecosystem rather than turning to competing AI chat interfaces.

The shortcut is believed to essentially transform Chrome from a passive browsing tool into an intelligent assistant, and it’s part of Google’s long-term plan to make Search more interactive and less reliant on traditional query typing.

However, as AI Overview continues to roll out globally and AI Mode becomes more tightly integrated into Chrome, Google faces growing scrutiny over whether its AI-driven future of Search will empower users—or erode the web’s open information economy.