By the Variask team · Updated
Definition
Google AI Mode is a conversational search experience in Google that answers complex questions with an AI written response, runs many searches behind the scenes and lets people ask follow ups.
With Variask: Variask tracks AI Mode answers and the searches behind them, next to AI Overviews and other engines.
AI Mode uses query fan-out: it breaks a question into subtopics, searches for each and combines the results. It shows links within and beside the answer, and keeps context across follow up questions.
Questions
No. AI Overviews appear on normal results pages. AI Mode is a separate, fully conversational mode.
Related terms
Engines and surfaces
Google AI Overviews
Google AI Overviews are AI written summaries shown at the top of some Google search results, with links to the pages used. They grew out of Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE).
ReadHow AI search works
Query fan-out
Query fan-out is when an AI engine splits one question into several related searches, runs them together and blends the results into one answer.
ReadEngines and surfaces
Conversational search
Conversational search is searching by asking questions in natural language and following up, as in a chat, instead of typing short keywords.
ReadHow AI search works
Agentic search
Agentic search is when an AI assistant plans and runs its own research before it answers: it breaks a question into steps, searches several times, reads pages, compares what it finds and only then writes a reply.
Read