The internet’s most famous blank white page is getting its biggest makeover in 25 years.
Google announced an overhaul of its core search engine at its annual I/O developer conference on Tuesday, transforming the traditional one-line search box into an expansive, AI-driven hub. The company is shifting from a tool that spits out a list of web links to one that can independently browse the internet, draft code, and act on your behalf.
The iconic, slender search bar is officially expanding. Google is rolling out a redesigned box that dynamically grows to fit long, conversational questions rather than just short keywords.
Powered globally by Google’s new Gemini 3.5 Flash AI model, the upgraded box allows users to type complex queries, upload files, photos, videos, or even input Chrome tabs. Liz Reid, Google’s vice president of Search, stated during a briefing that the company wanted to eliminate the “friction” between automated AI summaries and its chatbot-like AI Mode.
According to a report by The Verge, Reid explained: “We really work to make that much more seamless and simplified, so that for most users, they don’t have to think about where to go, they can just go to the search box they’re familiar with and it feels like they get the best experience afterwards.”
Desktop and mobile users worldwide will now be able to ask follow-up questions directly from an AI Overview summary, shifting smoothly into a continuous back-and-forth conversation as the search engine retains the chat context.
AI agents that track listings and make phone calls
According to Google, the tech giant is also launching “information agents” designed to complete long-term research tasks in the background 24/7.
Instead of repeatedly checking websites for updates, a user can give an agent a detailed list of requirements, such as apartment-hunting parameters or tracking when a professional athlete drops a new sneaker collaboration. The agent will continuously monitor blogs, news sites, social media, and real-time data feeds, sending synthesized alerts when a match appears.
Furthermore, Google is expanding its automated booking capabilities for US users this summer. The system will search for real-time pricing and availability for local services, such as finding a specific type of private karaoke room on a Friday night, and provide direct booking links.
For certain industries like home repair, pet care, and beauty, users can instruct Google to place phone calls to businesses on their behalf.
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Instant coding and mini-apps on the fly
One of the most radical additions to Search is the ability to generate custom software interfaces on command.
Using Google’s Antigravity platform and the coding capabilities of Gemini 3.5 Flash, the search engine can build custom, interactive visual tools from scratch to help answer complex topics. If a user asks about astrophysics or how a mechanism works, Search can code custom layouts featuring interactive graphs, tables, and real-time simulations.
For ongoing personal tasks, Search can create personalized dashboards or trackers that function like “mini apps.” A user trying to establish a health routine can ask Google to design a custom fitness tracker. The search engine will generate software code on the fly, integrating live local maps, weather data, and reviews to keep the tool up to date week after week.
The AI race and the shift away from the open web
The aggressive rollout comes as Google aims to protect its territory against aggressive moves from rivals like Anthropic and OpenAI.
While Google’s Gemini app boasts 900 million monthly active users, data from finance platform Ramp revealed that Google held just a 4.5% share of paid AI business subscriptions in the US this past April, lagging far behind Anthropic (34.4%) and OpenAI (32.3%).
The massive pivot toward self-contained AI answers has triggered concerns about the broader internet economy. Financial analyst Richard Kramer of Arete Research noted to The New York Times that the strategy helps Google maximize its lucrative ad platform but changes the nature of internet traffic.
“The open web is on its way out,” Kramer said, per the Times. “With A.I., Google is reducing everyone to raw data providers.”
Nevertheless, Google executives emphasized that the AI features are driving engagement to historic heights. During its first-quarter earnings call, Google reported that user queries reached an all-time high, pushing Google Search and other advertising revenues up 19% year-over-year to $60.4 billion.
The new intelligent search box is rolling out globally this week, while the information agents and custom application-building tools are scheduled to launch this summer, initially to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.
Want a deeper breakdown of Google’s AI ecosystem and how Gemini fits into the company’s broader strategy? Check out TechRepublic’s comprehensive Gemini guide.
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