Google launch AI search option in the UK

Google is now introducing a new AI feature in its search engine for people in the UK. Instead of showing the usual list of website links, this new option gives users a direct answer written in a chat-like style.

This doesn’t replace Google’s regular search. It’s just an extra feature called “AI Mode,” and people can choose whether to use it or not.

In AI Mode, when you ask something, Google will give a full response right away. It will still include links, but fewer than normal, and they’ll appear lower down the page. The AI answers are designed to be easier to read and feel more natural, like you’re having a conversation.

This feature is powered by Google’s Gemini AI system and has already been launched in the US and India. Now it’s starting to roll out across the UK.

Why Google is doing this

Google says people are asking more complex questions than before. A few years ago, you might have typed, “clean carpet stain.” Now, people are more likely to ask, “I spilled coffee on my Berber carpet, what pet-safe cleaner should I use?”

To handle these kinds of detailed questions, Google is offering AI Mode to give more helpful answers in one go.

Right now, many businesses rely on Google to send people to their websites. This includes shops, news outlets, and many others. With fewer links shown in AI Mode, those websites might get less traffic.

Some publishers are already reporting a drop in visits. The Daily Mail, for example, says it’s seen a 50% drop in clicks from Google searches since AI summaries were added.

There’s also a recent study that found people rarely click on any links when there’s an AI answer at the top. Google disagrees with that study, saying it wasn’t done properly.

What about advertising?

Google hasn’t yet explained how advertising will work in AI Mode. Right now, businesses can pay to appear high in the search results. It’s unclear if or how that will apply to AI-generated answers.

Some business owners worry that if users don’t click on links, it could hurt their income. Google’s product manager, Hema Budaraju, says that AI Mode is opening up new ways for people to search—not replacing the old ones.

News organisations are also feeling the effects. If people don’t click on the original articles, they lose ad revenue. Some campaign groups say this change could make it harder for quality journalism to survive.

There’s also concern that AI-generated summaries might not always be accurate. But people might trust them anyway, without checking the original source.

AI needs a lot of computing power, which uses a lot of electricity and clean water. This raises questions about the environmental cost of using AI so widely.

Google says it is working on making its technology more sustainable as it expands its use of AI.

As a whole, Google’s AI search feature is now available in the UK. It’s meant to give better, faster answers to complicated questions. But it also raises new questions—about accuracy, fairness to websites, business impact, and even the environment. As more people start using it, the real effects will become clearer over time.