Google's new Search Live feature, part of AI Mode in the mobile app, lets users converse verbally in real time with Gemini-powered search.
Launching Thursday in the US via Search Labs, Search Live transforms search into a voice-first dialogue, allowing users to talk, listen, and explore hands-free. It marks the next step in Google's shift from static results toward conversational, multimodal AI in search, blending Gemini's language skills with future visual input.
Google's not the only AI company looking at verbal interaction, of course. Open AI's ChatGPT mobile app now supports voice conversations with GPT-4o, Apple's iOS 18 introduced a more natural-sounding Siri with deeper context awareness, and Amazon continues refining Alexa's generative AI to support more open-ended dialogue. Google's push into real-time interaction exists alongside these other players, but unlike assistants focused on tasks, Search Live keeps users tethered directly to the search layer itself.
After tapping the new "Live" icon, users speak queries aloud, receive spoken replies, and can continue the dialogue naturally. All interactions remain persistent across apps and are saved to the user's AI Mode history. Google plans to add camera-enabled visual search during conversations in the coming months.
The feature persists across apps, allowing background dialogue, while real-time transcripts and session history enhance usability.
Google's Real-Time Search Assistant Is Built to Keep You Talking
Search Live is more than a feature—it's a funnel into Google's emerging assistant ecosystem. By transforming search into a flowing, spoken experience, Google increases the likelihood that users remain within its app ecosystem longer, ask more follow-up questions, and rely on AI Mode as an ongoing discovery layer. With visual search and context-aware agents on the way, Search Live is designed not just for convenience, but for engagement—and ultimately, monetization.
Google said that Search Live is part of AI Mode's evolution, building on Gemini's multimodal ability. Search Live supports background conversations and transcript viewing, and saving past sessions for revisiting. Visual search integration and further enhancements are planned based on user feedback from Labs. Google also said that visual search via camera will roll out soon, and Search Live is part of a larger Moonshot AI Mode plan–– including Deep Search, data-visual tools, and smart shopping agents.
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