Google Adds Images to AI Mode for a Visual, Conversational Search Experience

In Focus

• Google has given AI Mode a visual search upgrade
• The latest upgrade combines images and natural text in a single search
• Each image generated comes with links to retailer websites
• Google AI Mode images is accessible to U.S. users starting September 30, 2025

Google is giving its AI Mode a visual search upgrade. The latest upgrade allows users to use images and natural text in a single search. According to CNBC, the search giant started rolling out Google AI Mode images to U.S. users in English starting September 30, 2025.

A Range of Visual Results

Google first launched AI Mode in the U.S. back in May 2025. At the time, the tool was primarily text-based, but more intelligent and interactive than keyword-based search. The latest AI Mode image search update allows users to explore search results in a more conversational way.

“Starting today, you can ask a question conversationally and get a range of visual results in AI Mode, with the ability to continuously refine your search in the way that’s most natural for you,” Google said in a blog post.

Google added images to AI Mode just days after it added Gemini AI features to Chrome browser for U.S. users. Google Gemini helps users to understand contents of specific webpages and enables them to undertake multiple tasks from a single tab.

Expanding AI Mode Use Cases

While comparing Google AI Mode vs traditional image search, the tech giant says some user queries require visual responses more than text-based ones. The newly upgraded visual results offer users expanded use cases for AI Mode.

“Sometimes what you’re looking for really just can’t be articulated with text. If you ask about shopping for shoes, it’ll describe shoes when really people want visual inspiration, they want the ability to see what the model might be seeing,” VP for Product Management at Google Search Robby Stein told reporters.

Google has been exploring ways to integrate generative AI in its search engine since OpenAI launched ChatGPT back in 2022. The tech giant has had to keep up with AI competitors whose products have changed the way people search for information online.

Google’s AI Mode at a Glance

• Google first launched AI Mode in the U.S. in May 2025
• AI Mode now generates relevant visual shopping options based on user descriptions
• Users to refine searches to their liking in a conversational way
• AI Mode combines Google Search, Gemini AI, and Lens and Image Search capabilities

AI Mode for Online Shopping

Google says AI Mode helps users to shop via images. The upgrade allows users to describe what they are looking for and AI Mode generates visual shopping results. For instance, if users are searching for running shoes, all they have to do is type a prompt like “comfortable running shoes that aren’t too expensive”.

Google AI Mode shopping feature intelligently generates a relevant set of options in response to user prompts. Users can refine their search results with followup prompts that are more specific to what they want, like “dark color tones”.

Each image comes with a link, enabling users to visit the retailer’s website and make a purchase. The search giant’s move to include visual search in AI Mode comes hours after OpenAI integrated an agentic shopping system called Instant Checkout into ChatGPT. The AI agent allows U.S. users to buy from Shopify and Etsy in between chats.

Google says AI Mode visual results combine the capabilities of Google Search, Gemini AI 2.5, and Lens and Image Search.