Follow ZDNET: Add us as a favorite source On Google.
ZDNET Highlights
- Chrome’s AI mode now displays a linked site next to your search window.
- The goal is to reduce the number of tabs you have to manage.
- You can also refer to multiple recent tabs in the new search.
Running a Google search usually shows me an AI overview with an AI-generated summary of the information I want. Since AI isn’t always accurate, I made sure to click on some links to third-party sources to check directly. But in the past, this was a clumsy process because each link opened in a separate tab, forcing me to add multiple tabs. Now, a new change to AI mode reduces that kind of tab clutter.
Rolling out to Google Chrome on Thursday is an upgrade to AI Mode that lets you focus on each search result you see without losing your thoughts. With the new Search Mode, any website you visit by clicking on its link opens side by side with your AI Mode screen. This means you can see your search window and the site you visited together on one page. You can then ask Google follow-up questions even while viewing third-party sites.
“Now, when you’re using AI mode on Chrome desktop, clicking a link opens the web page with AI mode on,” Google said. a new blog post. “This makes it much easier to visit relevant websites, compare details and ask follow-up questions, while maintaining the context of your search.”
how it works
As an example offered by Google, let’s say you’re shopping for a coffee maker that fits in your apartment and can make lattes. Using AI mode in Google Search in Chrome, describe what you want, and you’ll see not only an AI summary but also links to websites for different retailers. Click on a specific retailer’s link, and the resulting website will open next to your AI Mode window. You can then ask Google questions about the coffee maker, and the AI mode will provide more details.
Here’s another example. Maybe you’re searching on Google for information about a technology product. One of the linked results used for AI overview is for a ZDNET story. Clicking on the link takes you to the story, which is displayed alongside the AI mode. You can then ask Google more questions about the product while watching the story.
“Our early testers liked that they didn’t have to constantly switch tabs to get help for an extensive article or long video,” Google said. “And they found that having both search and the Web together helped them stay focused on their tasks while searching for useful Web pages.”
Searching recent tabs
And there’s one more item on the list.
Using Chrome on desktop or mobile, you are now able to search in your recent tabs. To do this, select New Plus menu (or existing Plus menu within AI mode) in the box on the new tab page. Select any of your recent tabs and add them to your search. Now you can ask any question related to the pages in all those tabs.
As an example of Google, you might be studying for an exam or other type of assignment. Your open tabs are filled with class notes, lecture slides, and academic papers, but you need more. Based on the content of those tabs, ask Google to suggest more sites for you to visit.
The new update is currently rolling out in the US, starting with US English, and should reach all users by the end of the day. Google promises that it will expand to other areas soon.
To get these new features, you will need Chrome version 146.0.7680.174 or higher. In Chrome, click the ellipsis icon at the top, go to Help, and then select About Google Chrome. You can check and update your current version if necessary. Then restart the browser to see if the AI mode changes reach you.
For now, the AI mode updates are only accessible in Chrome on desktop, even if you use the standard Google search engine through a different browser. But according to a Google spokesperson, the goal is to bring these capabilities to as many people as possible on the Web.
