Talking to Google Just Got Real: Real-Time Voice Conversations Launched with AI Mode
Google’s search experience is evolving and taking the next step with the launch of Search Live, a new great tool that allows people to interact with search and receive answers in real-time using their voice. This tool is now available in the U.S. for iOS and Android users who have joined the AI Mode experiment through Google Labs.
The main point of this new AI feature is to make the searching process more natural for the users. It should be like a real-time voice conversation instead of just a string of typed keywords. It’s designed for users who are often on the go or need quick answers while doing other things.
Users can just open the Google app, tap the new “Live” icon under the search bar, and ask anything they want, and Google’s AI will respond out loud with helpful advice. And, if you have a follow-up question, you can just ask it without starting over.
Main Features of Search Live include:
- Voice-first search: Start and continue a conversation using only your voice. This is perfect for a multitasking lover.
- Instant web links: While AI is talking to you, you’ll see related links on your screen so you can dig deeper if you want more information.
Search Live works even in the background
What makes this feature even more convenient is that it works in the background. You can switch to another application while still talking to Search. The reading lovers can just tap a “transcript” button to see the text version of the conversation and type their next question instead of speaking it.
For more convenience, Google has also added an AI Mode history. This means you can choose a conversation right where you left off, saving you from having to repeat yourself, remember exactly what you asked before, or just find something important in your latest searches.
Of course, behind this new feature is Google’s custom version of Gemini, an advanced language model fine-tuned specifically for Search Live’s voice chat. Google says it combines the best of its search quality and trusted information sources to make sure responses are accurate and useful.
To expand results, Search Live uses something Google calls a “query fan-out” technique, which pulls in a wider variety of content from across the web. So, while you get a quick spoken answer, you also see links to trustworthy sites, making it easy to double-check information or learn more.
To try it out, users need to opt in to the AI Mode experiment through Google Labs. Once enrolled, a new “Live” icon will appear right under the search bar in the Google app. Tapping it kicks off the voice conversation immediately.
This rollout is only the beginning!
Google has hinted at more interactive features in the coming months. One big addition on the horizon is the ability to use your phone’s camera while chatting with Search Live. This means you could show Search what you’re looking at and get instant help.
With this move, Google is signaling that its vision for Search goes far beyond static links and typed queries. It wants to turn the process into an ongoing dialogue that fits naturally into people’s everyday lives, whether they’re cooking, walking the dog, or planning a weekend getaway.
For now, U.S. users who like being early testers can sign up for AI Mode in Labs and give Search Live a try. Google encourages feedback, so they can refine the experience and add even more ways for people to search and talk in real time with AI.