Google has announced a significant update for its Chrome browser on iOS and Android, simplifying access to its generative AI search capabilities. Users will now find a dedicated shortcut button for AI Mode directly under the search bar on the “New Tab” page, a move designed to integrate advanced AI interactions more seamlessly into the mobile browsing experience.
This new feature allows users to engage directly with Google’s AI for complex queries, follow-up questions, and deeper topic exploration without extra navigation. The update is initially rolling out in the United States, with a planned expansion to 160 new countries and additional languages, including Hindi, Indonesian, and Portuguese, set to follow shortly.
A Strategic Move in the AI Search Race
By placing its AI Mode front and center, Google is intensifying its competition with emerging AI-native search tools like Perplexity AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The strategic placement of the shortcut aims to increase user adoption and keep users within Google’s ecosystem, rather than having them navigate to competing third-party services for AI-powered search and discovery.
This update follows Google’s recent global expansion of AI Mode to 180 countries and its continuous effort to enhance the tool’s functionality. Recent additions include agentic capabilities that assist users with practical tasks such as booking event tickets or wellness appointments, building on its initial feature for finding restaurant reservations.
Relevance for the MENA Tech Ecosystem
For founders, developers, and investors in the MENA region, Google’s aggressive push into AI search presents both a challenge and an opportunity. As global tech giants make their AI tools more accessible, the benchmark for user experience is raised, compelling regional startups, particularly those in the B2C space, to innovate and enhance their own AI integrations to remain competitive.
The global rollout, which includes languages with large user bases, signals a trend towards hyper-localization that will inevitably reach the Arabic-speaking world. This creates an opportunity for MENA-based developers and AI companies to build localized applications or specialized services that cater to regional nuances, which larger models may overlook. Furthermore, businesses across MENA must adapt their digital and SEO strategies to account for the rise of generative AI search, which fundamentally changes how users discover information and make decisions online.
About Google
Google is a multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, a search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. It is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.
Source: TechCrunch
