Google testing 'AI Mode' on search homepage

Google has begun testing a new artificial intelligence feature called "AI Mode" directly on its homepage, replacing the iconic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button.

Positioned next to the traditional “Google Search” button, the new tool marks a rare alteration to one of the most visible pieces of digital real estate on the internet.

A Google spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that the feature began rolling out to select users over the past week. The company said the change is part of its ongoing experimentation under “Labs,” Google’s opt-in platform for testing new technologies. 

Products tested within Labs are not guaranteed to launch publicly.

The addition of AI Mode on the homepage signals Google’s growing push to integrate generative AI into core products amid intensifying competition. Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022, Google has faced pressure from both investors and consumers to innovate in the AI-powered search space.

In October, OpenAI launched “ChatGPT search,” a tool aimed at reshaping how users find information online, putting it in direct competition with search giants like Google, Microsoft’s Bing, and startups like Perplexity. Despite Microsoft investing nearly $14 billion in OpenAI, OpenAI’s tools now rival Microsoft’s own offerings such as Bing and Copilot.

Google’s leading AI product, Gemini has 35 million daily active users, compared to an estimated 160 million for ChatGPT, according to internal Google analysis disclosed during an antitrust court hearing.

Although Google initially announced in March that AI Mode would be tested on search results pages, the current test’s placement on the homepage suggests the company is evaluating broader user engagement strategies. 

The March announcement described AI Mode as offering “more advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities” designed to tackle complex queries.