Google Outlines How AI Mode Is Reshaping the Core Search Experience

Robby Stein^[1], Google’s vice president of product for Search, appeared on Lenny’s Podcast on October 13, 2025^[2], to explain how artificial intelligence is being built into Google Search and why, despite predictions to the contrary, traditional search is not disappearing. In a conversation lasting more than an hour, Stein outlined how Google views AI Mode as an extension of its search system rather than a replacement.

The discussion was recorded at a time when many in the tech community were questioning whether generative AI tools, including ChatGPT and Perplexity, might displace conventional search engines. Stein’s comments made clear that Google does not see this shift as an end to search but as a broadening of what people now expect when they look for information.

Search Is Expanding, Not Contracting

According to Stein, user behavior across Google’s platforms shows that people are still turning to search for a vast variety of needs… everything from finding a specific phone number or product price to resolving homework questions or identifying unfamiliar objects through images. He said these basic behaviors have not declined since the rise of AI chatbots.

Instead, he described what he called an “expansionary moment,” where artificial intelligence has encouraged users to ask more questions and explore in more detail. Stein pointed to Google Lens, which allows people to search using photos rather than text, as evidence of this trend. Visual searches, he noted, have grown by roughly 70 percent year over year, representing billions of queries every month. That, he said, reflects how AI can open new ways for people to interact with information rather than replace old ones.

What AI Mode Actually Does

Stein explained that AI Mode is being integrated as part of Google Search, not as a standalone product. It allows users to ask questions naturally and continue conversations across formats such as text, images, or voice. The technology relies on Google’s underlying data systems, which include its shopping graph with tens of billions of products updated continuously, mapping data for hundreds of millions of locations, and information drawn from the wider web.

When a user types or speaks a question, AI Mode accesses these systems to find connections and summarize relevant material. Stein emphasized that this does not bypass search but builds on it. Each AI-generated summary still depends on the same infrastructure that powers traditional Google Search, combining real-time updates and contextual understanding.

The feature also links directly with Google’s existing services. For instance, follow-up questions from AI Overviews can now be continued within AI Mode, and visual queries in Lens can open the same environment. The goal, Stein said, is to make the experience continuous… users should not need to decide whether they are using AI or search, because both are part of the same flow.

SEO Principles Still Apply

A significant portion of the interview focused on how this shift affects online visibility and search optimization. Stein discussed how Google’s AI generates responses by conducting what he called “query fanout,” a process where the system issues multiple related searches in the background to collect information. That means web content remains critical, as AI Mode depends on high-quality pages to build its answers.

He added that Google continues to use long-established quality signals (originality, source reliability, clarity, and usefulness) when selecting what information to surface. Those factors, codified in Google’s search quality guidelines, continue to shape which results appear in AI-generated responses.

For creators and publishers, Stein suggested focusing on what users are now asking AI systems to do. He said people increasingly look for guidance, practical steps, and more detailed explanations, particularly around complex or “how to” topics. Creating content that serves those needs, he explained, improves the chance of being referenced within AI responses, just as relevant pages once ranked higher in conventional search results.

How Google’s Approach Differs

During the discussion, Stein drew a distinction between Google’s AI Mode and other conversational agents on the market. He said Google’s system is designed around information retrieval and verification (helping users find and check facts) rather than productivity or personal assistance. The intention, he noted, is to keep the experience focused on knowledge, context, and direct connection to source material, not on generating opinions or performing creative tasks.

Stein also acknowledged that this phase of development will shape how users experience search in the coming years. Integrating AI into the core product, he said, is a long-term adjustment, not a one-time feature launch. The company expects feedback from users to guide how AI Mode evolves inside search rather than as a separate environment.

Reactions and Concerns

The interview drew a mixed reaction from the search and publishing community. Some welcomed Stein’s clarification that traditional SEO principles still matter, while others expressed concern that AI summaries could reduce website traffic by answering user questions directly. Critics argue that if Google’s systems extract information from sites and display it without clicks, publishers lose visibility even as their data powers the AI responses.

Several comments shared under coverage of the interview echoed this worry, describing AI Mode as a system that may “absorb” content without returning value to creators. Supporters, however, said the trend toward multimodal and conversational search was inevitable and that Google’s approach at least acknowledges the need for transparency and integration rather than replacement.

The Broader Context

Stein’s remarks make it clear that Google sees AI not as a threat to search but as its next structural phase. The company’s strategy appears to center on merging conversational intelligence with its existing index, allowing search to feel more flexible without breaking from its core function: connecting people with verified information.

The transition, though gradual, signals a new balance between automation and accessibility. Whether it benefits publishers as much as users will depend on how AI Mode continues to handle attribution and visibility. For now, Google’s message is consistent: AI is expanding search, not ending it — and how creators adapt will define how visible the web remains in this new stage of discovery.

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.

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