google-search

Google released Gemini 3.5 Flash at its I/O 2026 conference, immediately deploying it as the default model in AI Mode and the Gemini app globally. The company claims it delivers improved agentic capabilities and coding performance at less than half the cost of competing frontier models. Gemini 3.5 Pro is scheduled for release in June.

Google announced major Search updates at I/O 2026, including AI Mode now powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash serving over 1 billion monthly users. The company is launching background information agents that monitor the web 24/7 and generate custom mini-apps, both features reserved for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.

Google announced a fundamental restructuring of Search, replacing traditional ranked links with AI-generated interfaces powered by Gemini Flash 3.5. The update introduces information agents that monitor the web 24/7 and custom mini-apps built through natural language, with the generative UI rolling out free to all users this summer.

Google has launched Canvas, a new feature in Search that transforms AI-assisted search into an interactive workspace. The tool allows US users to build documents, dashboards, and code prototypes directly within the search interface, marking a shift toward positioning search as a collaborative AI assistant rather than a query-answer platform.