Google unveiled one of the biggest changes to Search in 25 years at its I/O developer conference in the US yesterday, transforming the familiar white search box into a dynamically expanding, AI-powered conversational interface.
The update allows users to ask longer, more conversational questions and search across text, images, files, videos and Chrome tabs, making Search behave more like an AI assistant than a traditional keyword tool.
Google said the new intelligent search box is rolling out today in all countries and languages where AI Mode is available.
“Today at I/O, we shared the next step in bringing together the best of Search and AI,” says Elizabeth Reid, VP Search at Google. “We’re introducing a new AI-powered Search box, our biggest upgrade in over 25 years. It’s more intuitive, expands dynamically and helps you ask better questions with AI-powered suggestions.”
While a massive shift for Google, industry experts say the change aligns with existing consumer shifts.
"Google is just catching up to user expectations," says Ash Terry, eCommerce director at Jaywing. "Conversational language in search isn't new behaviour as consumers get used to channels like ChatGPT and Perplexity, which have already trained millions of people to ask in full sentences. For users, this is welcome. But it’s also keeping conversations inside Google’s platform longer, reducing dependency on the open web."
Stephanie Wong, SEO director at Assembly APAC, agrees that the upgrade is long overdue. "People stopped searching for links a long time ago, they are searching for answers. The search bar, as we knew it, is gone."
The zero-click era and agentic tasks
Google said users will be able to continue conversations directly from AI Overviews into AI Mode, with context preserved. It’s also introducing search agents that can monitor the web continuously, alongside expanding agentic booking tools that allow users to complete tasks such as booking local experiences, and even letting Google call businesses on the user’s behalf.
In addition, Google said Search can now generate custom layouts, dashboards, trackers and even mini apps inside Search itself, turning results pages into interactive interfaces rather than gateways to other websites.
For brands, the implications are significant, intensifying fears of a 'zero-click' ecosystem where queries are resolved entirely on the results page. Data shows that 93% of AI Mode sessions end without a click to an external website, and click-through rates on pages triggering AI Overviews have dropped up to 58%.
However, Wong says the threat is misunderstood. "The zero-click era did not begin this week. Yes, AI search features reduce clicks, but they are reducing low-value clicks. High-value clicks from users ready to act are becoming more concentrated. AI is stripping away vanity metrics and delivering audiences with genuine intent."
How brands must adapt
To survive, agencies stress that brands must change how they measure success. "Organic traffic has been the default KPI for years, but if that is still your only metric, you are measuring a world that no longer exists," says Wong. "The metric that matters now is 'share of prompt', how often your brand appears when AI generates an answer."
The stakes are uniquely high for local marketers.
"In Southeast Asia, where mobile-first, voice, and AI-native behaviours are outpacing Western markets, the stakes are even higher,” says Jaywing’s Terry. “Traditional SEO gets you ranked, generative engine optimisation (GEO) gets you cited. The brands investing in being the answer, and not just an answer, will own the next era of search."
