Google's New 'AI Mode' Earns High Marks for Speed and Accuracy in Search

Technology analyst Simon Willison recently lauded Google's new "AI mode" for its significantly improved performance, drawing a sharp contrast with the previously criticized "AI overviews." In a tweet on September 7, 2025, Willison stated, > "Follow-up note about a Google's new 'AI mode' - it's actually very good! Massively different from 'AI overviews' which is terrible." This positive assessment highlights a notable shift in Google's AI-powered search capabilities, signaling a potentially more effective user experience.

Willison's blog post elaborated on his positive experience, noting that the "AI mode" feels "very similar to GPT-5 search but returns results much faster." This enhanced speed is attributed by some users to a specialized "FastSearch index" and the utilization of TPUsV7, Google's custom-designed processors for machine learning. The mode appears to leverage Google's extensive search infrastructure to deliver more effective AI-assisted results, with some users also praising its advanced image search capabilities.

The distinction between "AI mode" and "AI overviews" is crucial, as the latter had faced widespread criticism for inaccuracies and perceived poor quality. Willison himself admitted his expectations for "AI mode" were "extremely low based on my terrible experience of 'AI overviews'." This negative perception of "AI overviews" has created a branding challenge for Google, with many users reportedly confusing the two distinct AI features despite their differing functionalities.

Google has been aggressively integrating AI across its products, with announcements at Google I/O 2025 focusing on the global expansion of "AI mode" and new agentic features. This push aligns with the capabilities of advanced models like Gemini 2.5 Pro, which offers long context windows and impressive multimodal reasoning, likely underpinning the new "AI mode." The company aims to make AI an essential part of the search experience, aiming for a more seamless and intelligent interaction.

Despite the positive reception for "AI mode," some users have raised concerns regarding transparency. Willison noted that the mode tells users it's "running 5 searches" but does not disclose what those underlying searches are, potentially undermining user trust. Additionally, "AI mode" is reportedly not available in all regions, such as the EU, limiting its global accessibility and raising questions about its full rollout strategy.