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Google’s new AI Search box is here – along with agents and 5 more upgrades


Google Search

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

  • Google Search is getting a new AI Search box.
  • Search information agents monitor topics in the background.
  • Agentic coding lets you build small apps in Search.

Remember when Google Search felt simple? I’d type a few words into a box, scan a list of blue links, and hope for the best. That version of Search is long gone, buried deep under AI. At I/O 2026, Google announced a bunch of Search updates that made it clear the product is becoming something more conversational, more personal, and more like an assistant that can do things for me.

Also: Sick of AI in Search? These 7 Google alternatives still put links first

The company said it is bringing “advanced model capabilities to Search with new AI features,” including a new AI Search box, information agents, agentic coding, and a personalization feature that pulls from my Google app data, to name a few things.

“The goal of Search has always been simple: to help you ask anything on your mind,” said Liz Reid, vice president and head of Search. The difference now, at least as I see it, is that Search is designed not just to answer, but to research, shop, book, monitor, and create on your behalf.

Here’s what’s new, who gets it, and when I think you’ll actually be able to use it.

1. AI Mode runs on Gemini 3.5 Flash

The AI Mode tab in Google Search on desktop and mobile is powered globally by a new model called Gemini 3.5 Flash.

At I/O, Google announced the Gemini 3.5 family and described it as a “major leap forward in building more capable, intelligent agents.” It said 3.5 Flash can provide “frontier performance for agents and coding, excelling at complex long-horizon tasks.”

It’s basically a faster, agent-ready model that can reason across sources, handle longer prompts, understand images and video, and complete multistep workflows. Google said it is also making it easier to “continue the conversation” in Search. I can now ask follow-up questions from an AI Overview, move into a “conversational back and forth with AI Mode,” and Search keeps my context.

Also: How to remove AI Overviews from Google Search: 4 easy ways

According to Google, AI Mode has passed one billion monthly users. Now, it’s rolling out 3.5 Flash as the default model behind it.

  • Who can access? AI Mode with Gemini 3.5 Flash is available globally across devices.
  • When will it be available? Now, according to Google’s I/O 2026 announcement.
AI Mode runs on Gemini 3.5 Flash

Google

2. A new AI Search box

Google is overhauling the Search box and decoupling it from keywords.

Instead of making me compress a messy thought into a few search terms, the new box is built for conversational, multimodal questions. I can just go ahead and enter whatever I want now. As Google put it, “Because your curiosity doesn’t always fit into keywords,” it is introducing “the biggest upgrade to our Search box in over 25 years… now completely reimagined with AI.”

For me, that means Search should better understand my specific, multipart ramblings. Instead of typing “best portable Bluetooth speaker waterproof Alexa,” I could ask something closer to how I would ask a person: “I want a portable Bluetooth speaker to take out by the pool. It’d be nice if it were waterproof and supported Alexa. Which ones are worth buying?”

Also: OpenAI’s new image watermarks make it easier to spot AI fakes – here’s how

I can ask with text, images, files, videos, or Chrome tabs. Google said the new AI Search box would put “powerful AI tools right at your fingertips” with AI suggestions that “go beyond autocomplete.”

  • Who can access? The new AI Search box is available to all users.
  • When will it be available? Google said it is “starting to roll out today” in areas where AI Mode is available.
A new AI Search box

Google

3. Search agents can research things for you

One of the more interesting new Search features, to me, may just be agents.

Google said it’s entering “the era of Search agents,” where you can create, customize, and manage multiple AI agents inside Search. The idea is that these Search agents can keep working in the background after I ask a question.

The first version is information agents. I can tell it what I want to monitor, and it will keep checking the web, blogs, news, social posts, and other recent sources. Google used apartment hunting as an example: “You can brain dump all of the exact requirements you’re looking for, and your agent will continuously scan for you, notifying you when listings meet your needs.”

Also: How Google just revamped Gemini Enterprise for the agentic era – here’s what’s new

  • Who can access? Google said information agents will come to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers first.
  • When will they be available? Planned for this summer.
Search agents can research things for you

Google

4. Search will help book local services

Search is adding agentic booking capabilities for local services and appointments.

Google’s example: Need a private karaoke room for six people on a Friday night, with food? Google Search with Gemini 3.5 Flash will show the latest pricing and availability with “direct links to finish booking through the provider of your choice.” But for select categories, like home repair, beauty, or pet care, you will be able to ask “Google to call the business on your behalf.”

Also: Google’s new Omni AI tool will let you video clone yourself – I’m intrigued (and concerned)

  • Who can access? Google said, “These capabilities will roll out to everyone in the US.”
  • When will it be available? Summer 2026.
Search will help book local services

Google

5. Shopping is getting more agentic, too

Google also announced a new AI-powered shopping cart feature connected across Search, Gemini, Google Pay, Gmail, and YouTube. Called Universal Cart, it can follow my shopping research across Google services. It remembers products I’m considering, watches for price drops, finds alternatives, and helps build a cart using my payment, membership, loyalty, and shipping details.

Also: I let Chrome’s AI agent shop, research, and email for me – here’s how it went

Google said it was built on Google Wallet and “lets you quickly find opportunities for hidden savings or points.” It gave the example of building a custom PC, which needs a few parts from several retailers. “Your cart will proactively flag any product incompatibilities and suggest alternatives,” Google said. “It understands your payment method perks, loyalty information, and merchant offers.”

  • Who can access? Universal Cart is coming first to Search and the Gemini app in the US, with YouTube and Gmail to follow.
  • When will it be available? Universal Cart starts this summer.
Shopping is getting more agentic, too

Google

6. Agentic coding comes to Search

Google is putting one of AI’s most popular use cases front and center in Search. Or, as Google put it, it’s bringing “the power of Google Antigravity and the agentic coding capabilities of Gemini 3.5 Flash right into Search.” That means I can ask Search to code small tools or apps, complete with a custom generative UI, layout, and real-time components such as interactive graphs.

Also: I stopped using ChatGPT for everything: These AI models beat it at research, coding, and more

Google’s examples include an astrophysics visualization, a wedding-planning dashboard, a moving tracker, and a fitness app that pulls in new data from reviews, live maps, local sources, and weather.

  • Who can access and when? Google said “generative UI capabilities” will be available to everyone in Search this summer, “free of charge.” It also said users will be able to “build custom experiences with Antigravity, like mini apps, right in Search in the coming months,” starting first with Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US.
Agentic coding comes to Search

Google

7. Personal Intelligence in AI Mode

Google is bringing its opt-in personalization features to Search through what it calls Personal Intelligence in AI Mode.

Also: Google’s new Omni AI tool will let you video clone yourself – I’m intrigued (and concerned)

If I choose to connect apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google Photos, Search will use my information from those apps to provide more personalized answers. That means it could be better at more personal questions, like finding a receipt buried in Gmail or surfacing relevant Google Photos while I’m researching something. I can connect or disconnect any app at any time.

  • Who can access? Google said Personal Intelligence in AI Mode is “expanding” to people in “nearly 200 countries and territories across 98 languages — no subscription required.”
  • When will it be available? It appears to be rolling out now.

My takeaway

Google Search has come a long way from the list of blue links.

What Google is building now looks more like a control panel for AI agents. I see this new version as one built for people who already use AI to search. It can handle long, messy, oddly specific questions, monitor topics for in the background, shop for products, book local services, build small tools, and personalize answers with information pulled directly from connected Google apps.

For power users, that’s the fun part: Google is putting agentic tools directly into Search.

For everyone else, I suspect the most noticeable changes will be the new Personal Intelligence features (if you opt in), the Gemini 3.5 Flash capabilities in AI Mode, and the new AI-powered Search box. Google Search is no longer just a place where I type a few keywords and click around. It is smarter, more personal, and, in some cases, willing to do more of the tedious work for me.

The trade-off is that the more Search becomes an agent that can personalize, monitor, and act for me, the more I have to trust Google with my data and the context behind what I’m asking.





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Recent Reviews

I’m a lawn expert, and here’s my favorite trick for finding your perfect robot mower


Robot mowers on a yard

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

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The perfect robot mower for you is not nearly as fancy and feature-heavy as you may think. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: it’s not the lawn mower, it’s all about the yard. A robot mower may be a market leader with top-of-the-line specs and still not be a good fit for your yard.

Here’s the great news: There’s a perfect robot mower for almost any yard. As someone who’s tested numerous types of robot lawn mowers, I’ve learned that many of the specs that brands market as groundbreaking are simply not vital for most shoppers. A mostly flat, fenced-in 0.10-acre yard doesn’t need the power that a hilly, sectioned, unfenced one-acre yard does.

Also: I tested the Ferrari of robot mowers for a month – here’s my verdict

If you’re looking to choose the best mower for your home, be sure to check out ZDNET’s robot mower buying guide. 

Here’s what you don’t need to stress over when buying a robot mower

Eufy E15 Robot Mower

Maria Diaz/ZDNET
For yards with… Best robot mower type Examples
No fences A wired boundary is best, but a great GPS/RTK robot mower can stick to the map you make with it. Yardcare E400, Mammotion Luba 3
Fences A LiDAR robot mower that can be dropped to mow with little setup and learn its map as it navigates. Eufy E15, Ecovacs Goat A3000
A lot of trees A LiDAR or wired boundary mower, since trees can interfere with satellite signals. Husqvarna iQ series (optional wire, EPOS)
Unbordered garden beds A GPS/RTK robot mower that you can set up to avoid flower beds when mapping. Mammotion Luba 3, Husqvarna iQ Series
Bordered garden beds A LiDAR, GPS, or wired boundary robot mower works for these yards. If you choose a wired boundary, you may have to bury wire around the flower beds, unless the borders are tall enough for the mower to avoid. Mammotion Yuka, Navimow Series H
pets A LiDAR robot mower that can adjust its navigation in real-time in reaction to its surroundings. Mova LiDAX Ultra 2000, Segway Navimow i2
Hills and uneven terrain An AWD robot mower capable of handling steep slopes, regardless of the navigation type. Mammotion Luba 3, , Husqvarna iQ

1. Don’t focus on: ‘AI-powered’ or other marketing buzzwords

Segway Navimow X3 Series robot mower

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Artificial intelligence (AI) has surpassed the popularity of acid-wash jeans in the 80s and Baby G watches in the early 2000s. And tech companies — including robot lawn mower manufacturers — are capitalizing on its appeal.

Most of these “AI-powered” or “intelligent mowing” terms are vague, geared to grab shoppers’ attention with buzzwords. That doesn’t mean that the robots don’t use AI to navigate, however. 

The key is to find out how the robot uses AI to its benefit, and whether that will meet your AI expectations. 

Also: This robot mower took care of my lawn for months – and it’s currently $300 off

AI algorithms typically process data captured by the robot’s hardware to help it make quick decisions and adjustments. For example, a robot lawn mower may have a set of sensors and cameras to capture its surroundings. The robot’s processor then uses AI to convert that information into actionable data, so it knows whether to swerve to avoid an obstacle or slow down around a retaining wall.

Instead, look for: The navigation tech under (and on) the hood

Instead of AI and other buzzwords, you should focus on matching the robot lawn mower’s hardware and navigation system to your yard. This includes whether the robot uses RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) for positioning, and whether it features LiDAR, cameras, and sensors. 

Then look at real user reviews to assess how accurately the robot mower maps and how well it performs around various types of obstacles.

There’s no blanket rule for robot mowers, but most do well with the following guidelines.

2. Don’t focus on: Premium extras

Yardcare E400 robot lawn mower

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Skip the premium extras that don’t match your yard. You really don’t need the most advanced robot mower; you need the one that will best handle your lawn. 

Most US homeowners have mostly flat lawns, simple rectangular layouts, minimal obstacles, and small yards. Yet some of the most popular mowers advertise features that don’t match this, and you don’t want to spend an extra few hundred dollars on advanced features that won’t deliver a noticeable difference in your yard.

Instead, look for: Only as much as you need

Do you have a mostly flat lawn with no fences and need a robot that can navigate to several sections separated by paths? Then you can skip AWD models and commit to superior mapping and navigation features, like multi-zone intelligence.

Also: I let a modular yard care robot mow my lawn – here’s my verdict after a month

Similarly, if you have a yard with dense trees covering most of it, it’s safe to skip the RTK models and go for LiDAR or boundary wire options instead. 

3. Don’t focus on: Flashy app features

Mammotion Luba 2 robot mower path

The path lines created by the Mammotion Luba 2, as captured by our Bink Outdoor camera, is one flashy app feature I can’t quit.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Any dependable robot lawn mower requires an equally reliable mobile app to let you use it effectively. However, manufacturers market many flashy app features that end up being unnecessary for many users. 

Don’t make app features the deciding factor unless it’s something you genuinely care about. Many users don’t rely on voice control to run their mowers and don’t mind using a separate app for their robot rather than integrating it into an existing home automation system.

Also: I let a smart planter maintain itself for 2 months – here’s the result

A robot lawn mower with mediocre navigation and cutting performance can still have a flashy app — all while leaving behind missed patches or taking longer to finish mowing.

Instead, look for: The features you’ll actually use

Most robot mower users keep them running on a schedule to get the lawn-cutting chore off their minds. The majority of the most popular models offer basic features beyond scheduling, such as remote start and stop, basic mapping, automatic rain delay, and theft protection. 

It’s easy to find robot lawn mowers with these features, but if you’re looking for anything beyond that, just be sure that the feature is worth it, especially if you’re paying extra for that model.

Also: I’ve tested robot mowers for years – here’s my expert advice for every yard type

An example of a flashy app feature that is completely unnecessary, but I love having? The Mammotion’s pattern cutting. I can select the cutting pattern I want on the Mammotion app, whether I want lines or checkered, but I can also have the robot cut in custom patterns, like letters and numbers. I don’t care for mowed letters in my yard, but I like that it always has that freshly mowed checkered patterned with no effort from me. 

4. Don’t focus on: Cutting system extras

Segway Navimow X3 Series robot mower

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The cutting width and system specs are important, as they can determine whether a robot can cover a given area in a day. However, most robot mowers use similar multiple-blade mulching systems. 

Unlike traditional lawn mowers with large blades for aggressive cutting in a single pass, robot mowers typically feature a set of small blades that constantly spin. Because of this, robot mowers trim smaller amounts of grass with each pass than a traditional mower, but they also cut more frequently and leave behind smaller grass clippings that decompose naturally.

Also: I powered my 3,000-sq-ft home with an EcoFlow battery in a blackout – here’s how it kept my AC on

Because the robot mowers have a smaller, compounding cutting system, the real-world differences between the cutting systems from one brand to another are often smaller than you’d expect. Other issues, like poor navigation, will be glaringly obvious before small differences in blade design.

Instead, look for: Cutting width and yard size

The average US yard would benefit more from navigation quality, consistency, and connectivity than blade design. Instead, you should focus on matching the mower to your yard size.

The robot’s capacity is measured in how many acres it can cover in a day. Among other features, this is calculated based on your robot’s battery size and cutting width. Essentially, most users want a robot that can mow an entire yard in a day, so you can set it and forget it and always come home to a mowed yard. You get this by getting the appropriate robot for your yard size.





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