Google is undertaking a profound transformation of its search engine, aiming to turn search into a gateway to the company's full suite of generative AI toolchains, taking on a form more akin to chatbots like ChatGPT. Facing pressure from competitors such as ChatGPT and Copilot, Google has made it clear that it will resolutely advance this transition. This upgrade, powered by the Gemini 3.5 Flash model, transforms search from a single retrieval into a continuously running intelligent agent and mini-app platform. The new search box supports continuous conversations and multi-round follow-up questions, while information agents can monitor conditions over the long term and trigger notifications, such as finding a house based on specific criteria, tracking sneaker collaborations, restocking, or price drop alerts. Online booking and call-on-behalf features allow users to complete reservations and appointments within search, with some services confirmed via calls made by Google. A universal shopping cart can aggregate products across platforms, automatically compare prices, provide restocking alerts, and verify compatibility. Additionally, Google has introduced agentic coding and mini-apps, allowing users to generate widgets, simulations, and charts within search. These features will initially be available to Google AI Pro/Ultra subscribers, with some functions rolling out first in the United States.
