Google has announced what it calls “the biggest upgrade” to Search in over two decades, introducing a suite of powerful artificial intelligence features at its I/O 2026 developer conference. These enhancements, powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash, aim to transform how users interact with information, moving beyond traditional keyword searches to a more proactive and personalized experience.
Gemini 3.5 Flash Powers Smarter Search
At the core of Google's new Search experience is the integration of Gemini 3.5 Flash capabilities, making AI Mode the default for many interactions. This powerful model fuels an intelligent Search box that can now process much longer and more detailed queries, understanding user intent with greater nuance than ever before. It offers AI-powered suggestions for completing ideas, generating follow-up questions, and even suggesting actions.
The updated Search also boasts multi-modal support, allowing users to initiate queries using a combination of text, images, files, videos, or even open Chrome tabs. This flexibility enables a richer, more contextual search experience, where users can ask follow-up questions directly within an AI Overview.
Introducing Customizable Search Agents
A significant innovation is the introduction of Search Agents, which Google describes as a way for users to “create, customise, and manage multiple AI agents for your many tasks, right in Search.” These agents are designed to actively work on behalf of the user, rather than merely answering questions.
- Continuous Monitoring: Information agents can continuously monitor the web, tracking trending topics and delivering live updates by gathering data from blogs, news sites, and social platforms.
- Personalized Objectives: Users can set specific objectives, enabling agents to provide tailored finance data, shopping information, or sports updates.
- Active Task Management: Unlike passive search results, these agents can actively pursue and manage tasks, offering a new level of assistance.
Search Agents are slated for rollout to Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra subscribers later this summer.
Personal Intelligence and Agentic Coding
Google is also enhancing AI Mode with Personal Intelligence, a feature designed to connect and leverage data from a user's various Google applications. Initially linking with Gmail and Google Photos, and soon Google Calendar, Personal Intelligence will provide highly contextual and personalized responses based on a user's own information. This feature is set for a broad rollout, reaching over 200 countries and supporting 98 languages.
Furthermore, the agentic coding capabilities of Gemini 3.5 Flash, alongside a new feature called Antigravity, are being brought directly into Search. These advancements will empower users to build custom tools such as fitness trackers or personalized dashboards, opening up new possibilities for how individuals manage and interact with their digital lives.