Photo by Henri Mathieu-Saint-Laurent
Google is launching a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search tool in the UK, marking a significant evolution in how users interact with the world’s most widely used search engine.
Instead of delivering a traditional list of blue links directing users to external websites, the new “AI Mode” will offer answers generated in a conversational tone, embedding far fewer links. The feature is powered by Google’s Gemini AI platform and aims to provide users with more intuitive and detailed responses to complex queries.
The feature, which is already live in the US and India, will begin rolling out to UK users in the coming days. For now, AI Mode will be optional, appearing as a selectable tab and an option within the standard search bar.
This new approach does not replace Google’s traditional search engine, which continues to handle billions of searches each day. However, industry experts say this shift signals the beginning of a broader transformation in how search engines work — one that could have major consequences for the digital ecosystem, particularly for news outlets, online retailers, and content-based businesses that depend on web traffic for revenue.
Fears of Disruption to Existing Business Models
The AI-generated answers, designed to directly respond to user queries, could disrupt the conventional click-through model that currently underpins much of the internet economy. With fewer links presented, users may be less likely to visit external websites, depriving them of traffic and advertising revenue.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, the introduction of Google’s AI Overview feature has already caused a significant drop in search-driven traffic. The publication says it has experienced a 50% decline in clicks from Google searches across both mobile and desktop platforms.
Currently, businesses can pay for prominent placements within search results through advertising. But with AI Mode, it remains unclear how — or even whether — paid advertising will function. Google’s product director for search, Hema Budaraju, admitted that the company has not finalized plans regarding advertising revenue for AI Mode or whether businesses will be able to pay for inclusion within AI-generated responses.
Despite the growing concerns among publishers and businesses, Budaraju offered a different interpretation of how the AI tool will be used.
“I would say that I think people are going to use these technologies to unlock newer information-seeking journeys,” she explained. “These kinds of questions didn’t happen before, and now you made it really possible for people to express anything a lot more naturally.”
Changing the Nature of Search
Google says the rollout is in response to shifting user behavior, where people now pose more complex and conversational queries. Budaraju illustrated this change by comparing past and present search habits.
“About two years ago, if you spilled coffee on your carpet, you would have searched ‘clean carpet stain,’” she said. “Now, my query is likely to be, ‘I spilled coffee on my Berber carpet, I’m looking for a cleaner that is pet friendly.’”
Though the BBC was unable to test the tool during a product demonstration due to the UK rollout not yet being activated, Google provided a sample scenario. In it, a user searches for recommendations on strawberry picking locations suitable for young families. The AI-generated answer provided suggestions spread across a broad geographic area. While it did include a few business links and a map, these were positioned lower in the summary than they would be in a traditional results page.
Impact on News and Information Access
A recent Pew Research Center study found that when AI-generated summaries appear at the top of search results, users only click on links in roughly one out of every 100 searches. Google has pushed back on the study’s methodology, suggesting it doesn’t accurately represent user engagement.
Still, concerns remain about the impact on journalism and the sustainability of news organisations. Rosa Curling, director of digital rights advocacy group Foxglove, said that AI-generated summaries not only reduce traffic to original news stories but also often present inaccurate or incomplete information.
“What the AI summary now does is make sure that the readers’ eyes stay on the Google web page,” Curling noted. “And the advertising revenue of those news outlets is being massively impacted.”
This trend threatens to undermine the traditional revenue streams that keep many journalism organisations afloat.
Legal and Environmental Considerations
Despite the global push, Google has not rolled out its AI Overview feature within the European Union due to legislative constraints. Regulatory requirements in the EU, particularly those around digital market fairness and transparency, have so far prevented the company from deploying its AI summaries across member states.
Another growing concern is the environmental cost of expanding AI infrastructure. Large-scale AI models like Gemini require immense computing power, which in turn demands vast amounts of energy and water to run massive data centers.
Google maintains that sustainability remains a core priority. “We are constantly, as Google and as Search, evolving sustainable ways to serve technology,” Budaraju said.
The Future of Search
The emergence of AI-driven tools such as Google’s AI Mode reflects a broader trend in digital technology, where conversational interfaces are becoming central to how users gather information. Tools like ChatGPT have already shown that many people prefer direct, concise answers over clicking through pages of search results — even when those answers may not always be accurate.
As Google accelerates the rollout of its AI Mode in new markets, the broader implications for the web — from content discovery to advertising and journalism — will continue to unfold. Whether the benefits to users will outweigh the disruptions to businesses remains to be seen.
