Media reporting shows that Google began testing this feature in March, after AI Overviews has been active on the site for over a year. AI Overviews was said to have 1.5 billion users a year ago, so it’s likely that AI Mode will have quite a few people taking the model’s responses, rather than clicking through hyperlinks.

Alphabet's Google said on Tuesday it would put artificial intelligence into the hands of more Web surfers while teasing a $249.99-a-month subscription for its AI power users, its latest effort to fend off growing competition from startups like OpenAI.