Google is significantly expanding its AI-powered Search capabilities in India, bringing "Search Live" in AI Mode to the country and rolling out support for seven new Indian languages. This makes India the first country outside the U.S. to receive the Search Live feature. These enhancements aim to make searching more intuitive, conversational, and accessible to a wider range of users in their preferred languages.
AI Mode Expansion
AI Mode, Google's most powerful AI search tool, is now rolling out in Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. This expansion builds upon the existing support for English and Hindi, significantly increasing the number of Indian users who can access AI-powered search in their native languages. This expansion is powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5, enabling AI Mode to understand the nuances of local languages and provide genuinely helpful and relevant search results, rather than just simple translations. The rollout of AI Mode in these new languages is expected to commence over the next week.
With AI Mode, people can explore deeper into complex topics and ask questions nearly three times longer than traditional searches. Since its launch in English and Hindi across India, users have been leveraging it for various needs, including education, writing assistance, product comparisons, and travel planning.
Introducing Search Live in AI Mode
In addition to the language expansion, Google is introducing "Search Live" within AI Mode, a new conversational capability that utilizes voice and camera inputs. This feature allows users to interact with Google Search in a more natural and intuitive way, enabling them to ask questions and receive real-time help based on what they see through their camera. India will be the first country outside the US to experience Search Live, available initially in English and Hindi.
Search Live offers numerous possibilities, such as troubleshooting problems, tackling DIY projects, assisting with schoolwork, or exploring new places. For instance, users can point their camera at ingredients and ask, "What's the best way to combine these to make an iced matcha?" and receive instant guidance. To try it, users can open the Google app and tap the 'Live' icon under the search bar or go to Google Lens and select 'Live' at the bottom.
Google's Commitment to India
These updates underscore Google's commitment to making Search effortless for everyone, allowing users to ask anything and receive comprehensive answers. Google recognizes that people in India are power users of multimodal search, representing the largest user base for both voice and visual search globally. This motivates Google to bring innovative features like Search Live in AI Mode to India first.
The launch of AI Mode in India earlier this year marked a significant step in enhancing the search experience for Indian users. The feature supports queries via typing, voice, or Google Lens photos, offering rich, detailed answers with helpful links and options for follow-up questions. By expanding language support and introducing Search Live, Google is further empowering Indian users to access information and accomplish tasks more effectively.
