AI Mode is a separate area within Google Search. There, a Gemini model answers your question in a conversation, and you can follow up right away. The classic results don't disappear: a click on "All" or the "Web" filter takes you back to the blue links.
Google has rolled out German-language AI Mode in Germany and Austria. Since then, the new tab has been showing up for many users, often without any explanation.
Key takeaways
- The address google.com/ai opens AI Mode directly, without having to run a regular search first.
- AI Overviews appear automatically above the results; the conversational AI Mode, by contrast, is something you open yourself.
- According to Pew Research Center, users click a classic result in only 8% of searches with an AI answer box, compared with 15% without one.
- Google doesn't offer a central off switch; the "Web" filter or the URL parameter udm=14 gives you plain lists of links.
- Since August 31, 2026, Google Search Console has shown impressions from AI Overviews and AI Mode together in the "Performance" report.
Where do I find AI Mode in Google?
Google offers three ways into AI Mode: the address google.com/ai, the "AI Mode" tab in the bar above the search results, and the Google app on Android and iOS. All three lead to the same conversation area. Regular search is unaffected and works as usual.
Tick off:
- [ ] Go to google.com/ai. This is the quickest route and works on desktop and smartphone alike.
- [ ] After a regular search, choose the "AI Mode" tab. It sits in the tab bar above the results, usually at the far left next to "All".
- [ ] Search in the Google app. There, AI Mode appears as a separate option next to the search box.
- [ ] Bookmark it if you use it often. That saves you the detour through an initial regular search.
No tab in sight?
First check the language and region in your Google Search settings. German-language AI Mode has been released for specific countries. Also update the Google app, because older versions often don't show the tab.
Don't confuse it with AI mode in your phone camera
Many people search for "turn off AI mode" and mean their camera. Samsung Galaxy, Xiaomi and other manufacturers have their own AI features for scene recognition and post-processing. You turn those off in the camera app, for example in the scene optimization settings. That has nothing to do with Google Search.
How do I ask questions so AI Mode gives good answers?
AI Mode breaks a complex question into several sub-searches, runs them at the same time and combines the results into one answer. This process is called query fan-out. The more context you provide, the more targeted these sub-searches become. Two loose keywords throw exactly this advantage away.
An example shows the difference. Typing "e-bike commuting" gives you a general overview. The question "Which e-bike under €2,500 is suitable for a 15-kilometer (about 9-mile) commute with hills?" gives you a selection that fits your situation. Then you follow up: "Which of these have a removable battery?" AI Mode keeps the context, so you don't have to repeat anything.
Tick off:
- [ ] Full sentences instead of keywords. The context determines which sub-searches run in the background.
- [ ] State your conditions: budget, location, timeframe, experience. Without them, you get an answer for everyone, which means for no one.
- [ ] Only one new aspect per follow-up question. That way you can clearly see what changes in the answer.
- [ ] Ask for a table when you're comparing. "Put the three options side by side in a table" makes differences visible at a glance.
- [ ] Explicitly ask for sources. That pushes the answer closer to pages that can back it up.
- [ ] For health, legal and money matters, use it only as a starting point. Here the original source is what counts, not the summary.
How do I check the sources behind an AI Mode answer?
Every AI Mode answer points to linked sources, usually as a link icon or source card next to a paragraph. Check at least two of them before you trust a figure or a recommendation. What matters isn't that a link is there, but whether the linked page actually supports the claim.
Here's how to do it in practice: if the answer mentions a figure, open the linked page and press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on a Mac) to search for that exact figure. If you can't find it, the claim is unsupported. It takes 20 seconds and catches most errors.
Tick off:
- [ ] Is the claim really on the source page? Summaries sometimes shorten and distort details.
- [ ] Who runs the site? A government agency, a manufacturer, a trade publication or a retailer with a sales interest makes a big difference.
- [ ] How old is the content? Prices, laws and software features go out of date quickly.
- [ ] Do two sources contradict each other? Then ask AI Mode about it directly and read both pages yourself.
- [ ] Is a source missing entirely? Then treat the claim as a guess, not a fact.
When are classic search results better than AI Mode?
Classic results win whenever you're looking for a specific page, a breaking news story, a price or an official document. AI Mode wins when you want to weigh options, compare or understand a topic. The rule of thumb: navigate with links, think things through with AI Mode.
| Task | Better suited | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Open a website you know | Classic search | One click, no summary needed |
| Current news | Classic search ("News" tab) | Date and origin are visible immediately |
| Find a form or legal text | Classic search | You need the original, not a paraphrase |
| Compare products by several criteria | AI Mode | Follow-up questions narrow the selection step by step |
| Understand a new topic | AI Mode | Explanation and follow-ups in one conversation |
| Plan a trip or project | AI Mode | Many sub-questions run in parallel |
| Compare prices | Both, always check the price in the shop | Summaries may contain outdated prices |
If you're looking for facts that change quickly, always take the last step on the original page. AI Mode is a good signpost, but no substitute for the source.
How do I get back to regular links?
Google doesn't offer a global switch that permanently turns off AI Mode or AI Overviews. You can still get plain lists of links at any time: via the "All" tab, the "Web" filter or the URL parameter udm=14. The last option can even be set as the default search in your browser.
- Click the "All" tab. You land on the regular results page, possibly with an AI Overview at the top.
- Choose the "Web" filter. It's in the tab bar or under "More" and shows only text links, without an AI Overview.
- Add udm=14 to the search URL. An address like google.com/search?q=steuererklärung&udm=14 opens the Web view directly.
- Save it as a search engine in Chrome. Under Settings › Search engine › Manage search engines and site search, add a new search engine with the URL
https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14and set it as the default.
After step 4, every search from the address bar runs without an AI answer. You can still reach AI Mode via google.com/ai whenever you need it.
What does AI Mode mean for your own website?
Fewer clicks, more citations: according to Pew Research Center, users click a classic result in only 8% of searches with an AI answer box, compared with 15% without one. In an analysis of around 846,000 US sessions in AI Mode, users clicked no external link in 64% of tasks.
Interest is growing fast all the same. According to DataForSEO data, German search volume for "ai mode" and "ki modus" rose from about 1,900 queries per month in August 2025 to over 74,000 in mid-2026. If you show up there as a source, you gain visibility. If you're missing, you quietly lose it.
There's no special file or dedicated markup for AI Mode. In its documentation on AI features in Google Search and your website, Google says the usual fundamentals apply: the page has to be indexed and eligible to appear as a snippet. The same page explains how to control this with robots directives such as nosnippet.
Tick off:
- [ ] Check indexing in Search Console. A page Google doesn't know about can't be cited.
- [ ] Look at the combined AI report in "Performance". Since August 31, 2026, you can see impressions from AI Overviews and AI Mode there.
- [ ] Start every section with a clear answer. Short, self-contained paragraphs are easier to cite as a source, just as with getting into an AI Overview.
- [ ] Measure citations instead of guessing. Regularly check whether your brand is mentioned in AI answers, using fixed checkpoints for brand mentions.
- [ ] Keep an eye on the competition. Ask AI Mode about your topic and see who gets cited. If it recommends others, that's rarely a coincidence; our article on GEO optimization explains why the AI recommends your competitor.
Agencies are affected on several fronts. With our offering for small SEO and marketing agencies, you can see whether client websites appear in Google AI Mode and AI Overviews, run GEO and SEO checks per client, connect Bing Webmaster Tools and publish articles for up to 10 client websites.
The three most important points for everyday use of AI Mode
Three habits are enough to use AI Mode safely: ask with context, check every important claim in the source, and switch to links for navigation or current facts. Everything else is fine-tuning.
- [ ] Ask with context. Budget, location and goal in one sentence turn a generic answer into a useful one.
- [ ] Search for every figure in the source. Ctrl+F on the linked page separates evidence from assertions in seconds.
- [ ] Use "Web" for facts and navigation. The filter or udm=14 gives you plain links, without the detour through a summary.
Frequently asked questions
Does AI Mode cost anything?
No. AI Mode is part of regular Google Search and doesn't require a subscription. Whether you see it depends on your region, language and app version, not on a paid plan.
Is AI Mode the same as the Gemini app?
No. AI Mode does use a Gemini model, but it lives in Google Search and bases its answers on the search index with linked web pages. The Gemini app is a standalone assistant for writing, planning and tasks that doesn't always show sources.
Does Google store what I ask in AI Mode?
If you're signed in to your Google account, your queries end up in your account activity, just like with regular search. At myactivity.google.com you can view and delete these entries. If you want to avoid that, search while signed out or pause Web & App Activity.
What do I do if an AI Mode answer is wrong?
Report the error using the feedback icons below the answer so Google sees it. For your own decision, only the original source counts from then on. If the error concerns your business, first check whether your own website states the correct information clearly and in a findable way.
Your next step: test a real question and check your own visibility
Open google.com/ai and ask a question you need to settle this week anyway, with budget, location and goal. Check two sources with Ctrl+F. Then save the udm=14 search in Chrome. That way you've set up both worlds in five minutes.
If you run a website, do the same test from the other side: ask AI Mode about your topic and see who gets cited. Our article on measuring AI SEO in one hour shows how to measure this cleanly and repeatably.
Our free SEO and GEO audit analyzes your website and lists concrete points instead of inflated scores, showing where to improve for Google and AI answer engines. Alongside it, open the "Performance" report in Search Console: since August 31, 2026, it has shown how often your pages appeared in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
