Google Rolls Out AI-Powered Search Feature in UK
- tech360.tv
- Jul 29, 2025
- 2 min read
Google has launched a new artificial intelligence-powered search feature in the United Kingdom, offering users a conversational-style response instead of traditional blue-link results.
The feature, called AI Mode, is being rolled out over the next few days and will be available as both a tab and an option within the search box. It uses Google's Gemini AI platform to generate answers and has already been introduced in the United States and India.
AI Mode will not replace the existing Google search engine, which handles billions of queries daily. Instead, it offers an alternative for users seeking more natural, detailed responses to complex questions.
Google said the tool reflects a shift in how people search online. Product Manager for Search Hema Budaraju noted that users now ask more specific and conversational queries, such as seeking pet-friendly carpet cleaners after a spill, rather than using simple keywords.
The AI-generated responses include fewer links to external websites, raising concerns among businesses and publishers that rely on search traffic. Traditional Google search results often drive web traffic and advertising revenue through prominent link placements.
Budaraju said the company has not finalised how advertising will work within AI Mode or whether businesses can pay to be featured in AI responses. She added that the new tool enables users to explore information in more natural ways.
Some publishers have already reported a drop in traffic. The Daily Mail claims its click-through rate from Google search results has fallen by about 50% on both desktop and mobile since the introduction of AI Overview.
A Pew Research Centre study found that users clicked a link only once in every 100 searches when an AI summary appeared at the top of the page. Google disputed the study’s methodology.
Campaign group Foxglove, which commissioned the research, warned that AI summaries could undermine news organisations by keeping users on Google’s page and reducing advertising revenue for original content creators.
Google said it currently generates more than 2 billion AI Overview boxes daily in over 40 languages, though not in the European Union due to regulatory restrictions.
There are also environmental concerns about the energy and water consumption of the data centres required to run AI tools. Budaraju said Google remains committed to sustainable technology practices.
Google launches AI Mode search feature in the UK using Gemini AI
AI Mode offers conversational answers with fewer external links
Businesses and publishers express concern over reduced web traffic
Source: BBC
