Google today introduced AI Mode in Search for users in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. They have ushered in a new era of smarter, more intuitive AI search. Powered by a custom version of Google’s latest Gemini 2.5 model. AI Mode helps people tackle complex, multi-part questions with deeper insights, multimodal inputs, and richer ways to explore the web.
A New Way to Search
AI Mode transforms how people interact with Search, enabling users to ask nuanced, exploratory questions that previously required multiple searches. It can break down queries into subtopics, search them simultaneously, and deliver highly relevant results.
“People in this region are naturally curious and often have complex questions from planning a trip to learning something new.” Said Alex Okosi, Managing Director, Google Africa. “With AI Mode, we’re reimagining the Search experience so users can not only find answers faster but also discover a wider range of content across the web.”
Smarter, More Natural Interactions
AI Mode is built to be truly multimodal. Users can search by typing, speaking, or even uploading a photo. By tapping the microphone icon or adding an image, they can ask questions in the way that feels most natural.
Each AI-powered response highlights links to web sources, helping people go deeper and discover more. Data from AI Overviews shows that this leads users to visit a broader mix of sites and engage more with content. If AI Mode is unsure about an answer, it will default back to traditional search results.
AI Mode will appear as a new tab on the Search results page and in the Google app for Android and iOS, starting today.
