Matthew Forzan.
AI chatbots have become part of our online lives – and now Google is getting its head in the game. Digital strategist and founder of Yoghurt Digital, Matthew Forzan explains how Google’s AI Mode will work and why it marks a new era for search engines.
When the world woke up to the news that Google was launching a chatbot-like experience form of AI search, known as AI mode, in Australia, it struck me that this could be one of the biggest changes in online search in 20 years.
AI Mode uses Gemini 3’s advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities to help answer questions, no matter how they’re asked. The technology will be able to distinguish between questions that are typed, spoken or even asked by uploading an image.
Since Google’s inception in 1998, we’ve become reliant on search engines to find quick answers to our questions but more recently, AI platforms like ChatGPT have shaken things up and changed everyone’s expectations from search engines; with large language models like ChatGPT delivering instant, curated results, it’s no longer enough to present a bunch of links and expect the user to do all the work.
Google’s AI citations landed just last year but has made a huge impact, changing how users interact online. The launch of a dedicated AI Mode for Google goes one step further, giving users the option to prioritise generative AI results and remove the emphasis on clickable links. Not to mention, it will have a huge impact on our work at Yoghurt Digital as brands respond to the changing landscape.
The new search economy
AI has been a hot topic for the last two years, and it’s unbelievable that ChatGPT launched just two short years ago.
Since then, we’ve seen traditional search engine models adopt AI citations – short snippets of information in search results that provide bitesize summaries with the aim of delivering answers more quickly.
Now, with Google rolling out its AI Mode, the big change is that it embraces the conversational style pioneered by ChatGPT as opposed to key word searches. While AI citations were integrated into the traditional search model, AI Mode is accessed through a separate landing page, giving users a unique experience.
In the old model, search engine users looking for a new pair of running shoes, for example, would have to put in their search terms and open several tabs to compare the different products on offer. Now, users can have a direct conversation with the search engine and get results much faster.
Google proclaims Australians will now be able to ask questions in a natural manner, through voice text or even by uploading a photo, in a move that bypasses the familiar blue links and delivers fewer clickable links.
In essence, Google’s AI Mode mimics the experience of ChatGPT, collating information but presenting it in an easily digestible manner, with the focus on instant results and answers.
If AI citations were the preview of a new search economy, Google’s AI Mode marks a turning point for brands as they now face a battle for the attention of AI chatbots or large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and now, AI Mode.
Information over links
The biggest shift away from the original vision of the search engine is how it prioritises summarising information and bringing it directly to the user, instead of simply feeding them sources. The links are still there but they are no longer top of the bill or the focus. The onus is no longer on the user to scour through different sources to find the most reliable information; instead, it is presented to them, adding an element of convenience we never knew was missing from the old search engine model.
AI mode is clearly geared to cater for advances in voice technology, with many of us ditching the qwerty keyboard in favour of asking our search queries aloud. It’s easy to see the appeal; it’s fast and direct and more in line with a human conversation. And after years of talking to smart speakers, calling out’ Hey Google’ or ‘Alexa’ to get help with a task around the home, voice search is no longer awkward but intuitive.
The implication for brands, if they are savvy enough to be featured in AI Mode results, is likely to be increased visibility, as search users no longer need to click through to your website to find out more. Careful auditing of your online footprint, however, will be essential to make sure users are finding the correct information. I've just experienced a real-world LLM and local SEO issue when I was organising a meet-up between our office and a partner’s office. I asked ChatGPT to suggest a cafe halfway, and the results came back completely wrong. Even though their address is correct on Google Maps, ChatGPT was pulling their address from business directories like Localsearch, Truelocal and the Yellow Pages - all with their old office address.
The problem with these types of look-ups is that search engines and LLMs don't know if your details are wrong. It can't forget or correct them for the next person who asks. Those outdated listings live on, confusing both people and algorithms. If you’ve been in business a while, you've likely moved office a bunch of times and those old directories and citations will be surfacing in the likes of ChatGPT and other LLMs, so it's worth auditing your business footprint beyond Google Maps. Keep your name, address, and phone details consistent everywhere - it will help people who have never visited you before, find the correct address and boost your local SEO presence in the process.
The human touch
AI naysayers will see Google’s AI Mode as a confirmation that automation is creeping in and taking over human roles. At Yoghurt, we work on the principle that, while AI can excel in providing short, sharp answers to queries, the ‘human touch’ will always have value when it comes to creativity and in-depth analysis.
Most websites can expect to compete with a Google-branded, AI-generated blog post for one in every five of the keywords they target1. Yet, LLMs don’t have access to unique content that doesn’t already exist and are simply referencing and collating external sources of information, while humans provide unique perspectives that are often much more valuable.
It is important to remember that large language models are revolutionising how information is collated and delivered to online users but there is still a demand for content that resonates with users and provides real insight. Google’s AI Mode is another tool following the trend of instant answers delivered almost in real time and brands will need to continue leaning into this new form of search engine to stay relevant.