Google merges AI Overviews and search into one multimodal interface

Google's search box — the thin white rectangle that has defined web search since 1998 — is being replaced with a multimodal AI interface that accepts images, PDFs, videos, and open Chrome tabs alongside typed queries. The company announced the redesign at its I/O developer conference on May 19, calling it the biggest upgrade to the search box in over 25 years.

The new interface dynamically expands to accommodate longer, conversational questions where the old design subtly encouraged two- or three-word keyword strings. Users can now drag content directly from Chrome tabs or upload files into the search field itself, capabilities that previously required navigating to a separate AI Mode. Google is also merging AI Overviews and AI Mode into a single flow, eliminating the friction of choosing between a traditional results page and an AI-forward experience.

Liz Reid, Google's vice president and head of Search, described the change as a shift from fragmented keywords to open-ended, multimodal conversations with an AI system backed by the entire web. The redesign signals that Google views its flagship product not as a place where users type keyword fragments, but as an interface for holding detailed conversations with AI. The interface now coaches users on what to ask, a departure from the blank-slate design that has anchored Google's homepage for a quarter century.