Google could be gearing up to switch its default search experience from traditional link-based results to its new AI Mode. Hints from Google’s product team suggest that soon, instead of seeing a classic list of links, users will get direct, conversational answers via Gemini AI, with related links pushed to the side. AI Mode is already visible as a separate tab and now even has its own homepage at google.com/ai, adding fuel to the speculation.
If AI Mode becomes the default, it would be a big shift for how people find information online. Websites that depend on search traffic are already seeing drops due to AI Overviews, which answer questions right in search, potentially bypassing the need to click through to a site. This trend would likely accelerate if synthesized AI responses push traditional search results further out of view.
Google has tried to clarify that the company is just aiming to make AI Mode more accessible for those who want it, but the momentum is clear: AI Mode is central to Google’s future plans for search. For users, the transition might look subtle at first—getting an AI-generated answer front and center, with links on the side—while, behind the scenes, it will deeply change traffic flows and discovery across the web.
For now, classic search is still available. But it’s clear that AI Mode is positioned to play a leading role in how Google search works—and users, as well as publishers, may have to adjust fast.
