So, like, Google was all like, “Hey guys, we’re totally moving our ‘AI Mode’ out of our experimental Labs thing and into the real world.” They said that only a “small percentage of people” will get to check out this AI Mode in the “coming weeks.” It’s basically Google’s way of giving you answers to your questions that are generated entirely by AI. It’s kind of like what Anthropic does, you know, just regurgitating answers that other people have already given.
Back in 2023, Google started revamping its search algorithm by using AI-powered summaries to show you stuff like the best laptops. AI has also been used in other Google services, like Chrome, to summarize web pages. (By the way, the Department of Justice is trying to break up Google for being a monopoly, but that’s a whole different story.) Now, AI Mode is Google’s latest attempt to take over your search results when you look something up.
When you use AI Mode on your computer, Google puts the source of the answer on the right side with some visual links. The actual information you’re looking for is on the left. Sometimes, they might mention where the info came from, but the links to the source are just these tiny gray “chainlinks” at the end of the summaries. For now, AI Mode doesn’t show you a list of blue links or a regular search page—it’s just what Google wants you to see.
Oh, and there’s this “clock” icon that shows your past searches, so Google can understand what you’re into. But the thing is, Google doesn’t really show you which sites have tested products and which ones haven’t. You just have to trust Google or look for those chainlinks, which are super small and easy to miss. Google’s probably thinking you won’t even bother, which is kind of sad, don’t you think?
So, Mark, this tech writer dude, has been working for PCWorld for, like, forever. He’s been covering tech for 30 years and written over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone! That’s a lot of writing about PC stuff, processors, Windows, you name it. Mark’s also written for other mags like PC Magazine and Popular Science. He even won an award for breaking news once! Recently, he had to get rid of a bunch of Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs ’cause his office was overflowing. Oops!
I’m not really sure why all this tech talk matters, but hey, that’s the article for you. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like Google’s AI Mode is just another way for them to control what we see online. Who knows, right? Anyway, that’s the scoop on Google’s latest move with AI Mode.
