Google Launches Fully AI-Powered Search Engine with Advanced Reasoning Features

On May 20, 2025, Google introduced a new AI-powered search engine at its annual developer conference in Mountain View, California. Described by CEO Sundar Pichai as a ‘total reimagining’ of search, this version allows users to submit longer and more complex queries, enabling deeper exploration of web content. The new mode surpasses the previously released AI Overviews by offering multi-modal, more advanced reasoning capabilities and real-time interaction, initially available to users in the United States.

Liz Reid, Google’s head of search, emphasized that the tool is designed to pull insights from across the web rather than rely on traditional ‘blue link’ results. With over 1.5 billion users already interacting with AI Overviews, Pichai claimed this is the widest deployment of generative AI in the world.

Despite the innovation, the shift has raised concerns among advertisers and content publishers, including media outlets and Wikipedia, who fear a decline in web traffic and ad impressions. Additionally, Apple executive Eddy Cue recently testified that Google’s search usage on Apple devices declined in April for the first time in over 20 years, citing competition from AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

The changes signal both a technological leap and a possible threat to Google’s ad-driven business model, prompting investor uncertainty. Google also announced new AI tools for its Chrome browser and Gemini app, alongside an ‘Ultra’ subscription tier priced at $250 monthly.