Google Supercharges AI Mode With Multimodal Search, Image-Based Queries

New capabilities powered by Gemini and Google Lens redefine how users interact with information through visuals, context, and deep comprehension

In a bold leap toward a more intuitive digital experience, Google has unveiled multimodal search capabilities within its AI Mode, allowing users to upload images, ask questions about them, and receive intelligent, context-aware responses. This update — now rolling out to a broader pool of Labs users in the U.S. — marks a significant expansion of the company’s AI ambitions and hints at a future where search is not just typed, but experienced.

The update blends Google Lens, real-time image analysis, and a custom version of Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model. The result: a seamless interplay between vision and language.“It’s not just about identifying what’s in a photo anymore,” Google’s blog post reads. “It’s about understanding the why, how, and what next.”

From Visual to Virtual: What Multimodal Search Can Do

Multimodal search means users can now:

• Upload or snap a photo using their phone or desktop

• Ask questions about the image (“What books are these?” or “Which plant is this?”)

• Receive detailed, context-rich responses — not just object names, but curated info, smart links, recommendations, and even follow-up queries

In one example, Google showcased an image of a bookshelf. AI Mode not only identified every book accurately, but also recommended similar titles, provided links to reviews, and offered options for purchase — all inside one conversational interface.

A Look Under the Hood: How It Works

At the core of this new capability are three major innovations:

1. Query Fan-Out – Instead of responding with one static result, Gemini’s AI fans out multiple queries based on context cues (e.g., book titles, genres, textures, object relationships).

2. Contextual Mapping – AI Mode understands layouts, visual clusters, and spatial meaning (e.g., grouping objects, reading direction, or visual hierarchy).

3. Multimodal Fusion – Text and image inputs are blended in real-time, enabling the AI to answer abstract or layered questions like:

   “Which of these is good for a 12-year-old interested in fantasy?”

This layered approach gives users deeper, more actionable responses — whether they’re analyzing product labels, identifying species in nature, or planning home décor.

Expanded Access and Rising Demand

Initially restricted to Google One AI Premium subscribers, AI Mode is now expanding access to general Labs users in the United States. According to Google, the average query in AI Mode is twice as long as a traditional Google Search query — a sign that users are leaning on the tool for more complex, open-ended tasks.

Top use cases so far include:

• Product comparisons

• Travel planning and visual itinerary queries

• How-to image analysis (e.g., “What’s wrong with this cable wiring?”)

• Academic research from photo-based content

• Medical and fitness-related self-diagnostics from uploaded photos (with caveats)

“People aren’t just asking what something is. They’re asking what to do with it,” said a Google product lead during an internal developer briefing.

Gemini at the Center of the Action

Gemini — Google’s powerful multimodal AI model — is now handling more live user queries than ever. Its integration in AI Mode showcases just how far Google’s natural language understanding has evolved.

Unlike past search paradigms that relied on keyword matching or link stacking, Gemini delivers meaningful summarization, decision support, and conversational follow-up. Combined with Lens, it’s now a visually literate search partner — something no major tech platform has achieved at this scale before.

Feature Highlights:

Competitive Landscape: The Race for Multimodal AI

This upgrade puts Google in direct competition with OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4 Vision and Apple’s rumored Sightline AI search system, set to debut in iOS 19. While Microsoft has tightly integrated AI into Bing and Copilot, Google’s Gemini integration within core search still offers the widest reach.

“Google’s dominance in both data and device access makes this rollout incredibly impactful,” said AI researcher and former Stanford professor Dr. Rita Chauhan. “They’ve basically made the most powerful visual search tool… conversational.”

What’s Next for AI Mode?

Looking ahead, Google is planning:

• Integration with Google Maps and YouTube for geo-based and video-based multimodal queries

• Personalized AI Mode using Gmail, Calendar, and Drive data (opt-in)

• Real-time AR support through Google Glass and Pixel devices

Users can also expect AI Mode to become a default layer across Pixel phones in the coming quarters, particularly as Gemini Live expands its screen and camera awareness.

TL;DR — Google’s Multimodal AI Search at a Glance