Google just redesigned the search box for the first time in 25 years - here's why it matters more than you think.

The Google search box is receiving its first major redesign in 25 years. According to VentureBeat, Google VP and Search Head Liz Reid called it "the biggest upgrade to our iconic search box since its debut 25 years ago." The new search box is no longer limited to short keyword input; it dynamically expands to accommodate longer conversational queries and supports multimodal input including images, PDFs, videos, and Chrome tabs. Previously, some of these features were only available in AI Mode, but now they are integrated directly into the main search interface.

Google has also deployed an AI-driven query suggestion system that goes beyond traditional autocomplete, helping users construct complex, nuanced queries. The new search box is rolling out gradually starting today in all countries and languages where AI Mode is available.

A more significant change lies at the architectural level: Google is merging AI Overviews (AI summaries at the top of search results) with AI Mode (an immersive conversational search experience) into a single seamless flow. After users input a question, they can first see AI Overviews and traditional results, then directly enter AI Mode for follow-up conversation without switching interfaces.

Reid explained that the new AI search box is "an upgrade to the traditional search box," directing results to the main search rather than AI Mode. She noted that most users don't want to think about "whether they want a traditional page or an AI-first search experience," and the new design ensures users simply use the familiar search box to get the best experience. The merged experience is rolling out globally on mobile and desktop starting today.

Data shared by Google at the event shows that user behavior is changing rapidly. AI Mode has surpassed 1 billion monthly active users one year after launch, with queries doubling every quarter. AI Overviews has over 2.5 billion monthly active users. Overall search query volume hit an all-time high last quarter, a figure previously disclosed in earnings calls.

CEO Sundar Pichai stated that AI features are "incremental, not cannibalistic" to search usage, with users searching more after using AI features. Reid emphasized that users are not only searching more but also searching differently—they express their questions in more detail, ask follow-up questions, and search across modalities.

The new search experience is powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash, which was also announced at I/O. Google claims it surpasses its predecessor, the frontier model Gemini 3.1 Pro, on nearly all benchmarks, with output speed 4x faster than comparable frontier models. Pichai described it as "standing alone in the upper right quadrant" of the Artificial Analysis index, meaning it delivers near-frontier quality with extremely low latency.

Speed is critical for search—conversational AI search that responds slowly cannot meet the demands of billions of daily queries. By combining the redesigned interface with a model optimized for quality and throughput, Google aims to make AI search feel as instantaneous as the old keyword experience, while being far more capable.

The new search box also introduces "generative UI" capabilities—search can dynamically build custom widgets, interactive visualizations, and even mini-apps in real time based on user questions. Reid gave an example: a user asking "How do black holes affect spacetime?" could receive an interactive visualization; a follow-up question would trigger the system to generate a brand new visualization on the fly.

This is made possible by a "new real-time code generation system" built in collaboration with the DeepMind team, running on Gemini 3.5 Flash. The generative UI feature will roll out for free to all users this summer. Additionally, for ongoing tasks (e.g., planning a wedding, organizing a move), users can build customizable stateful experiences within search.