Google has expanded its AI Mode, a Search feature that answers complex questions and facilitates in-depth topic exploration, to 180 new countries, initially in English, broadening its availability beyond the U.S., U.K., and India.
The company is also introducing new agentic capabilities to AI Mode, allowing users to make restaurant reservations, with plans to incorporate local service appointments and event ticket bookings in the future. The restaurant reservation feature enables users to specify preferences such as party size, date, time, location, and cuisine Mode searches Mode searches across various reservation platforms to identify real-time availability, presenting a curated list of options.
This functionality is currently being rolled out to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. through the “Agentic capabilities in AI Mode” experiment within Google Labs. The Ultra plan is Google’s premium offering, priced at $249.99 per month. U.S. users participating in the AI Mode experiment will also experience personalized search results tailored to their individual preferences and interests, initially focused on dining-related topics.
For example, if a user searches for “I only have an hour, need a quick lunch spot, any suggestions?”, AI Mode will leverage their past conversations, search history, and Maps activity to provide more relevant suggestions. If the system infers a preference for Italian food and outdoor seating, the results will prioritize restaurants matching those criteria. Google emphasizes that users retain control over their personalization settings, which can be adjusted within their Google Account.
Additionally, AI Mode has gained a new collaboration feature, with a “Share” button allowing users to send AI Mode responses to others, enabling them to participate in the conversation. This functionality is intended to facilitate collaborative tasks such as planning trips or birthday parties.
