The essentials
- Definition: AI Mode is a tab in Google search that replaces the list of links with a conversation with Gemini: a written answer, follow-up questions, and cited sources.
- The difference: an AI Overview is a block above the classic results; AI Mode is an experience in its own right, with no list of ten links.
- How it works: the question is broken into several sub-searches (query fan-out), each querying the index; the answer assembles the pages found and cites them.
- What is at stake in 2026: rolled out in the United States in 2025 and extended since, it reduces clicks further and rewards pages that cover a subject in depth with precise answers.
TheAI Mode is a tab in Google search that turns a query into a conversation: instead of a list of links, the user gets an answer written by Gemini, can ask follow-up questions, compare, plan, and consult the sources cited in the answer. Announced in May 2025 in the United States, it has since extended to other countries and languages. It carries on from AI Overviews and represents the most fully realised form of generative search at Google.
AI Overviews and AI Mode: the difference
| Criterion | AI Overviews | AI Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Where | A block at the top of the classic results page | A dedicated tab, a complete experience |
| Trigger | Automatic, on a share of queries | At the user's request (or by default, depending on the tests) |
| List of links | Kept below the overview | Absent; only the cited sources appear |
| Conversation | No | Yes, with follow-up questions and retained context |
| Depth | A short answer | A long answer, comparisons, tables, steps |
| Sources cited | 2 to 5 | 5 to 15, spread through the answer |
How AI Mode builds an answer
The central mechanism is "query fan-out": the user's question is broken into several sub-queries ("best marketing dashboard tool for a small business", for instance, becomes "marketing dashboard tools", "Looker Studio pricing", "Power BI small business comparison", "marketing platform reviews 2026"), each querying Google's index in parallel. The pages selected for each sub-query feed the model, which writes a single answer and cites its sources. A page can therefore be cited on a question it doesn't target word for word, as long as it answers one of the sub-questions. How answer engines work in general is described in AI engines explained.
What AI Mode changes for visibility
- The end of position: there is no longer a 1st or a 5th result; a page is either cited or it isn't. Visibility is measured as a share of citations, not as an average position.
- Fewer clicks, better qualified: the answer is often enough; the clicks that remain come from users who want to go deeper, compare or buy.
- Covering the subject: a page that answers several sub-questions on a theme (definition, price, comparison, method) stands a better chance of being picked up by the fan-out than a narrow page.
- Entities and reliability: the model favours sources consistent with what it knows about companies and people; see entities.
- Local and transactional: AI Mode incorporates Google Business Profile listings, Shopping and reviews; a complete listing and structured product data are used directly.
Getting cited in AI Mode
- Cover the subject in depth: one pillar page per theme, with sections each answering a likely sub-question (what is it, what does it cost, how do I choose, comparison, mistakes).
- Self-contained passages: every section opens with a direct answer that makes sense out of context; that is the unit the model extracts.
- Structured data and tables: prices, features and comparisons in tables; schema.org markup for the organisation, the products, the FAQs.
- Verifiable expertise: a named author, sourced and dated figures, an entity that is consistent across the web.
- Clean indexing: the full method is in being visible in AI Mode ; AI Mode uses Google's index — pages indexed, fast, unblocked, on the same foundations as classic SEO. The differences between SEO and GEO are set out in classic SEO or GEO.
Measuring your presence
Search Console does not yet report AI Mode citations separately. Measurement rests on repeatedly testing your sector's key questions, noting the sources cited and their order, and on AI visibility tracking tools that automate those surveys across several assistants; the method is described in tracking visibility on ChatGPT and Perplexity. The metrics (share of citations, share of voice, AI referral traffic) are in GEO KPIs.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's GEO tracking brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google AI Mode?
A tab in Google search that replaces the list of links with a conversation with Gemini: a written answer, follow-up questions, comparisons and cited sources. Launched in the United States in 2025, it is the most fully realised form of Google's generative search.
What is the difference between AI Mode and AI Overviews?
An AI Overview is a short block displayed above the classic results, which stay visible. AI Mode is an experience in its own right, with no list of ten links, a long answer, a conversation and more sources cited.
How does AI Mode choose which pages to cite?
It breaks the question into several sub-queries (query fan-out), queries Google's index for each, then writes an answer from the pages selected and cites them. A page is selected if it answers one of the sub-questions precisely, with a self-contained passage and recognised reliability.
How do you measure your visibility in AI Mode?
Search Console doesn't separate it out yet. You measure it by repeatedly testing your sector's key questions and noting the sources cited, and with AI visibility tracking tools. The metrics are share of citations, share of voice against competitors, and referral traffic from AI.