Google is taking a big leap in transforming search as we know it. The company announced on Thursday that its conversational AI Mode is gaining a host of new agentic capabilities, allowing it to go beyond delivering search results and actually perform tasks on behalf of users. Alongside this upgrade, Google is also expanding AI Mode’s availability to 180 new countries and territories worldwide, making it one of its largest global AI rollouts to date.

From Search to Action

AI Mode was initially introduced as a smarter way to search, automatically running multiple background queries and surfacing the most relevant information. Now, powered by DeepMind’s Project Mariner, AI Mode is stepping into a more proactive role: instead of just finding information, it can take action.

With the latest update, users can rely on AI Mode to book dinner reservations, find flights, or even secure concert tickets—all from within the search experience. For example, a query like “Book a Japanese restaurant for two at 8 p.m. near Central Park” will prompt AI Mode to display real-time availability pulled from partner services.

Google has partnered with major platforms including OpenTable, Resy, Tock, and Ticketmaster, ensuring users can not only find but also act on opportunities instantly, without jumping between multiple websites or apps.

Smarter, More Personalized Recommendations

Another major feature now in testing is personalized dining recommendations. Unlike traditional search, which simply lists options, AI Mode will use signals from your past conversations, Search interactions, and Google Maps activity to suggest tailored recommendations. While this experiment currently focuses on dining and is limited to users in the US, Google says the same framework could be extended to travel, shopping, and entertainment in the future.

This means AI Mode is not just answering your queries—it’s learning your preferences and curating results accordingly, offering a glimpse into a highly personalized AI-driven search experience.

Collaboration Through Link-Sharing

Planning an event or a trip often involves multiple people searching and comparing ideas. To simplify this process, Google is rolling out a new link-sharing feature within AI Mode. With a single link, users can share their AI-generated results with friends or family. Anyone accessing the link will be able to see the last AI response and continue the conversation on their own.

Importantly, the person who shares the link retains full control, including the ability to manage or delete shared links at any time. This feature could make AI Mode a powerful tool for collaborative planning—whether it’s organizing a birthday party or coordinating an international holiday.

Availability and Access

Most of these agentic features are being introduced gradually and are currently exclusive to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the United States, with access gated behind Google Labs experiments. However, given Google’s rapid AI rollout pace, it may not be long before these features are integrated into the standard search experience for a broader audience.

Looking Ahead

Analysts suggest that this expansion marks a critical step in Google’s ambition to transform search into an action-oriented ecosystem. Instead of being just a gateway to websites, AI Mode is evolving into a do-it-for-me agent, capable of handling complex, context-aware requests.

At the same time, this shift raises questions about the future of the open web and competition among service providers. With Google directly enabling bookings and recommendations inside AI Mode, smaller platforms may find themselves increasingly sidelined.

Still, the rollout underscores Google’s determination to maintain its dominance in the AI era, as rivals like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Perplexity experiment with similar agentic search assistants.

For now, users in eligible regions can opt in through Google Labs and experience the future of search firsthand—a future where your next restaurant reservation, travel plan, or event ticket might be just one AI-powered query away.