Google Launches Search Live: Voice Conversations with AI in Real Time

Google is adding a new, conversational way to search—this time with your voice. The company has launched Search Live, a feature that lets users speak naturally to Google Search and get AI-generated audio responses in return. It's available starting today for U.S. users enrolled in the AI Mode experiment in Google Labs.

A Voice Assistant That Acts Like a Search Engine

Search Live allows for a free-flowing, back-and-forth voice conversation with Google—similar to talking to a virtual assistant, but grounded in live web search. You can ask questions out loud, follow up naturally, and explore links pulled from across the internet—all without typing.

This is designed for multitasking moments, like packing for a trip. Simply open the Google app and tap the new “Live” icon button under the search bar to start. Then ask a question aloud, like, “What are some tips for preventing a linen dress from wrinkling in a suitcase?” Then follow up with something like, “What should I do if it still wrinkles?” The app will respond with clear, AI-generated audio and show supporting links on-screen so you can dig deeper.

Built for Real-Time Use

Search Live works even when you're using other apps. Because it runs in the background, you can carry on a voice-based conversation with Google without pausing what you're doing.

Want to switch formats? Tap the “transcript” button to view the response in text and continue the conversation by typing. If you want to revisit a past response, go to your AI Mode history—just click the AI Mode History button in the Google app to pick up where you left off.

What Powers It

Search Live is powered by a custom version of Gemini, Google’s advanced AI model. This version is optimized for voice and built on the same foundation that makes Google Search reliable and information-rich. To give you useful and varied results, the system uses a technique called query fan-out—essentially casting a wider net across the web to surface more diverse and helpful content to explore.

What’s Next

Search Live is currently accessible through a new “Live” icon beneath the search bar in the Google app for Android and iOS—available to users who’ve opted in to AI Mode through Google Labs.

Looking ahead, Google plans to expand Live capabilities, including using your camera during voice conversations. That would let users show Search what they’re looking at and get real-time responses based on visuals.

What This Means

Search Live is another step in Google’s push to make search feel more like a conversation than a query box. By layering in real-time voice interaction—and soon, visual input—Google is redefining what it means to “look something up.”

Instead of typing keywords and scanning blue links, users can now ask full questions aloud, follow up naturally, and explore rich web content with minimal friction. It’s a shift that blends the responsiveness of voice assistants with the depth of traditional search.

In many ways, this marks the beginning of the end for traditional search as we’ve known it. Whether through Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or other tools, the future of search is conversational, AI-driven, and increasingly voice-first. For Google, the search engine becomes less of a tool and more of a partner—one that listens, speaks, and adapts in real time.

What matters now isn’t how well you phrase your keywords—it’s how naturally you ask your question.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.