Google Could Transform Search Into a Hands-Free Helper

Google is reimagining its famous search bar as an intelligent assistant that can book restaurants, track news, and contact businesses — just by asking a question.

At its annual developer conference, CEO Sundar Pichai unveiled Gemini Spark, a personal agent for top‑tier US subscribers arriving next week. This summer, Google search will also gain always‑on helpers that alert users to news, manage shopping lists, and plan activities.

The changes, which Google calls its biggest search upgrade in 25 years, include a widened search box for more natural, conversational queries. “I love how search has become less about individual queries and feels more like an ongoing conversation,” Pichai said.

Google also launched Gemini 3.5 Flash, a faster model powering its Gemini app — now with 900 million monthly users — and the popular AI Mode search feature, which claims one billion users worldwide.

The moves are part of a broader industry shift toward “agentic” tools that can perform tasks autonomously, sparked by platforms like OpenClaw. Rivals OpenAI and Anthropic are racing to keep up.

But publishers are worried. Google searches already end nearly 60% of the time without users clicking to outside websites, cutting into news outlets’ traffic and ad revenue. A European publishers’ group has complained to regulators, and France remains a flashpoint. Meanwhile, Google still faces a US antitrust ruling that could force changes to its search dominance.

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