Google shifts from search to action with AI push

Google on Wednesday unveiled a broad set of artificial intelligence-powered products and upgrades centred around agentic capabilities that can perform tasks on behalf of users, signalling the company’s attempt to move beyond traditional information retrieval toward helping users complete actions directly within its ecosystem.

At its annual I/O developer conference in Mountain View, California, Google introduced AI Mode within Search, expanded capabilities of its Gemini models and announced tools designed to help users conduct deeper research, compare products, plan activities and complete tasks through conversational interfaces. The announcements indicate a shift in focus from providing links and information to enabling outcomes through AI systems.