With AI overviews, Google wants to change how you search the internet forever

Google has taken a major step toward changing the way people interact with the internet by introducing conversational search powered by its Gemini AI.

Moving away from the traditional model of returning a list of blue links, the new search experience is designed to feel more like a dialogue — offering users personalised, AI-generated responses that evolve with follow-up questions.

At its I/O developer conference earlier this year, Google revealed its ambition to transform Search into more of a “helpful assistant” than a mere answer engine.

This week, the feature was officially rolled out to users in India and other countries, offering access to AI Overviews — Google’s new response format that blends web content with Gemini’s AI summarization and reasoning capabilities.

Gemini offers contextual understanding and deeper insights

The Gemini model behind this upgrade is built to handle complex queries that require synthesis, comparison, or brainstorming. For example, users searching for “best tablets for digital art under ₹30,000” will not just get a list of links. Instead, they might receive a comparative overview of multiple products, including key features, pros and cons, and buying recommendations — all within a single conversational interface.

Users can continue asking related follow-up questions, and the AI adjusts responses in context. This makes it easier to dig deeper into a topic without restarting a new query, ultimately aiming to reduce friction in the search process.

Google says that this is part of a broader shift in how the company sees its role. “Search is no longer just about answering questions, it’s about helping you think, plan, and make decisions,” said Liz Reid, head of Google Search.

Now available in India, with more languages on the way

The conversational Gemini experience is now available to English-speaking users in India, and Hindi support is expected soon. The new "Ask with Gemini" button has been integrated directly into the Google search bar, offering an easy gateway to conversational results. Users can also access Gemini directly via the app or in a side panel within Gmail, Docs, and YouTube, enabling productivity-driven conversations.

Google is positioning Gemini as a multipurpose assistant that blends productivity, exploration, and education. The rollout in India is especially significant given the country’s massive internet user base, which is increasingly mobile-first and multilingual.