Almost three decades ago, two Stanford doctoral students gave birth to a search engine that would change the world.
That prototype, lovingly named BackRub, analyzed the web through backlinks rather than just keywords. This unique approach laid the groundwork for what became the iconic PageRank algorithm. By 1997, BackRub evolved into Google, and by 1998 it graced the internet with its now-legendary minimalist homepage.
Through the years, Google improved its algorithms with relentless precision. Yet, no evolution was quite as transformative as the arrival of artificial intelligence.
Jump to 2023: Google introduced the Search Generative Experience (SGE), blending traditional search with the power of generative AI. By mid-2024, this matured into AI Overviews. And in the summer of 2025, Google unveiled its boldest vision yet—AI became the very core of Search.
Enter AI Mode, now powered by the remarkable Gemini 2.5 Pro model.
With AI Mode, Google isn’t just evolving—it’s reshaping the web, and doing it with confidence.
New advanced AI capabilities are coming to Search Now you can:
Try Gemini 2.5 Pro in AI Mode for help with complex questions
Save hours of research with Deep Search in AI Mode
Have Search call local businesses to check pricing for you— Google (@Google) July 16, 2025
Gemini 2.5 Pro shines in areas like complex reasoning, math, and programming. This makes it a valuable tool for users seeking insightful, in-depth answers—with clickable sources for further reading.
Available to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, this model can be selected from a drop-down menu under the AI Mode tab.
The default model in AI Mode still handles general queries gracefully, offering quick and well-rounded assistance.
But where it truly shines, is how Google bakes Gemini 2.5 Pro right within search.
This integration allows a feature called Deep Search—Google’s next-level feature now embedded into AI Mode. With Gemini 2.5 Pro, it lets users skip hours of browsing by conducting comprehensive, AI-driven research.
While traditional Google Search is prized for its speed, Deep Search is slow.
This is because the tool performs hundreds of parallel queries, combing through scattered information to build a clear, thoughtful answer. Google claims it can compress hours of manual work into just minutes.
The more demanding the question, the more complex the query, the more detailed the result—with reliable, cited sources presented in a sleek summary.
According to Google, Deep Search is ideal for work, hobbies, academics, and even major life decisions.
"Deep Search is especially useful for in-depth research related to your job, hobbies, or studies. It's also a valuable tool when making big life decisions, like purchasing a new house or needing assistance with financial analysis," said Google in a blog post.
Even more impressively, this Gemini 2.5 Pro-powered AI Mode can now make real-world phone calls to local businesses—booking appointments, comparing prices, and emailing you a tidy summary afterward.
"To get started, search for something like 'pet groomers near me' and you’ll see a new option in the results to 'Have AI check pricing.' From there, you can submit your request and Search will do the rest, consolidating information about appointments and services from different businesses to present you with a range of options – saving you time and creating new opportunities for businesses to easily book customers." Google explained.
This AI-powered calling feature is now available to all users, no subscription required.
With this evolution, Google Search is no longer just a digital tool—it has become a helpful, thinking assistant. One that understands, acts, and even speaks on users' behalf.