If you’re in the SEO world, you’ve likely noticed how rapidly search is evolving and Google’s new AI Mode is the latest shift reshaping how we find information online.
Let’s explore what AI Mode is, how it differs from AI Overview, and what it could mean for your click-through rates (CTRs).
Understanding Google AI Mode
Google’s AI Mode is an upgraded search feature designed to provide direct, well-reasoned answers by analyzing multiple sources and presenting responses in a conversational format.
At first glance, it resembles AI Overview, but with key enhancements:
- Follow-up questions – Users can ask additional queries without restarting the search.
- Advanced reasoning – Instead of just summarizing, it interprets and connects information.
- Handles complex queries – Better at answering nuanced or multi-layered questions.
- Multimodal capabilities – In the Google app, it can process images and photos for responses.
AI Mode vs. AI Overview: What’s the Difference?
While AI Overview summarizes existing content, AI Mode takes it further by:
- Drawing conclusions from data rather than just repackaging it.
- Maintaining context across follow-up questions.
- Offering more personalized and dynamic responses.
How to Access AI Mode
Currently, AI Mode is only available to U.S. users (similar to AI Overview’s initial rollout). To try it:
- Visit google.com/aimode and join the waitlist.
- Once approved, access it via a dedicated tab (similar to Gemini).
Testing AI Mode: Does It Deliver?
To compare, I ran two searches:
- “Most popular spring break destinations this year”
- AI Overview provided a standard summary.
- AI Mode added slight reasoning, refining recommendations.
- “Most popular spring break destinations with a 6-month-old baby”
- AI Mode retained context, offering tailored suggestions without repeating the query.
Verdict: While the responses are similar, AI Mode’s follow-up feature makes it more useful for complex searches.
The Impact on CTRs
Early data suggests AI Overviews have already affected CTRs:
- Ahrefs found a 34.5% drop in CTR for top-ranking pages when AI Overviews appear.
- Amsive reported a 15.49% average CTR decline for affected keywords.
- Branded searches saw an 18.68% CTR increase, a rare positive.
If AI Mode follows the same trend, organic clicks could decline further—unless Google adjusts how it attributes traffic.
Final Thoughts
Google’s AI Mode is another step toward conversational search, reducing the need for manual link-clicking. While convenient for users, it poses challenges for publishers relying on organic traffic.
The question remains: Will AI-generated answers sustain quality if fewer clicks go to original sources? Only time will tell.
