Google rolls out largest Search overhaul in 25 years, embedding Gemini across Search, Maps and Workspace

Google on May 19 began rolling out what it called the biggest upgrade to Search in more than 25 years, moving Gemini deeper into the company’s core consumer products and making AI responses part of the main search experience rather than a separate chatbot. The changes, announced at Google I/O 2026, put Gemini 3.5 Flash in AI Mode by default globally and add a new AI-powered search box that can accept text, images, files, videos and Chrome tabs as inputs. Google also paired that product shift with new ad formats built for AI conversations in Search. On May 20, the company said it was testing Conversational Discovery ads, Highlighted Answers and AI-powered Shopping ads, all labeled as sponsored and designed to appear inside more conversational search flows. ### What exactly changed in Search? Google Search’s new interface expands beyond the classic keyword box into a larger prompt field that can dynamically grow as users type longer questions. (blog.google) Google said the redesign is rolling out in all countries and languages where AI Mode is available, and that users can move directly from AI Overviews into an ongoing back-and-forth with AI Mode on desktop and mobile. (blog.google) The company also said Search can now generate custom interfaces and visual tools on the fly for some queries, using Google Antigravity and Gemini 3.5 Flash. Google described this as the start of “Search agents,” which users can create and manage inside Search for different tasks. ### How far is Gemini spreading beyond Search? Google used I/O to describe Gemini as infrastructure across its products, not just a standalone app. (blog.google) In its official recap, the company said it was scaling Gemini across products and introducing agentic experiences in Search, shopping and the Gemini app. Google Workspace received new voice features in Gmail, Docs and Keep, plus updates to AI Inbox and the Gemini app’s Workspace integrations, according to a May 19 company post. (blog.google) Google Maps had already been moving in the same direction, with Gemini-powered conversational navigation features introduced late last year. ### How is Google planning to make money from the new search experience? (blog.google) Google’s ads business is being adapted to the new interface rather than left outside it. In a May 20 post tied to Google Marketing Live, the company said the new ad formats would use Gemini to provide product details and an “independent AI explainer” alongside advertiser creative. Search Engine Roundtable reported on May 21 that Google had already added shopping ads to AI Mode and was introducing conversational discovery ads and highlighted answer ads. (blog.google) Google said the formats would remain clearly marked as “Sponsored,” and pointed advertisers to Performance Max and AI Max tools to participate. ### What are the reliability risks as AI answers replace links? BBC reported on May 19 that investigators found a relatively simple way to manipulate chatbot-style systems into producing misinformation, and said Google was working to harden its AI results against those attacks. (blog.google) That scrutiny comes as Google’s own security teams have separately warned that AI is already being used in cyber operations. (seroundtable.com) Google’s wider challenge is balancing a more answer-driven search product with trust in the results. Axios reported on May 21 that the company is trying to push AI aggressively while protecting the ad-funded search business that still generates much of its profit. ### Why does the Pentagon matter in this fight? Bloomberg reported on May 21 that the Pentagon is testing Google and OpenAI models with 25 departmental “power users” as it looks for alternatives to Anthropic’s Claude. (politico.com) The tests began in early March, according to Bloomberg, after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated Anthropic a supply-chain risk and moved to drop it as a provider. (axios.com) That government evaluation runs alongside Google’s consumer rollout and ad push. Google’s next public milestones are the continued global rollout of the new Search box and AI Mode features announced on May 19, while advertisers are being directed to Google Marketing Live materials and campaign tools as the new ad formats enter testing. (blog.google) (bloomberg.com)