Google has unveiled the biggest overhaul to its Search engine in more than two decades, introducing autonomous AI agents, personalized search intelligence, and a redesigned AI-powered Search box in a move that could fundamentally change how billions of people use the internet.
The announcements were made during the annual Google I/O 2026 conference on Tuesday night, May 19, where the tech giant positioned Search as an “intelligent, proactive companion” capable of handling complex tasks on behalf of users.
At the center of the changes is the rapid rise of Google’s AI Mode, which the company says has now surpassed one billion monthly users just one year after launch.
“The goal of Search has always been simple: to help people ask anything on their mind, from quick facts to the deep, complex, or hyper-specific questions that can be hard to articulate,” Google said during the presentation.
The company added that user engagement had reached “an all-time high,” with total search queries hitting record levels in the last quarter as more people embraced AI-powered search experiences.
One of the biggest changes announced is the rollout of Gemini 3.5 Flash as the default model powering AI Mode globally. According to Google, the upgraded model has been optimized for “background agents and rapid execution,” allowing Search to respond faster while handling more advanced tasks.
Google also revealed what it described as the biggest redesign of the Search box in over 25 years.
The new AI-powered Search box dynamically expands to allow users to type more detailed prompts instead of short keywords. It also supports cross-platform and multi-format input, enabling users to combine text, images, files, videos, and even Chrome tabs in a single query.
Rather than relying on traditional autocomplete, the system now uses AI-generated suggestions to help users build more nuanced and detailed questions.
The updated Search interface begins rolling out globally starting today in all regions where AI Mode is available.
In another major shift, Google is introducing what it calls “Search agents” — specialized AI assistants capable of continuously monitoring the web and carrying out tasks for users in the background.
Launching first for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States this summer, the agents will scan blogs, news websites, finance updates, shopping listings, and sports feeds to provide users with synthesized alerts and recommendations.