Google uses Doodle space to Highlight Gemini-powered AI search tool

A Rare Shift in Google's Homepage Tradition
If you opened Google on Tuesday, you might have noticed something unusual instead of the classic Doodle celebrating a historical figure or cultural milestone, users were greeted with an animated promo spotlighting AI Mode, Google's newest AI-powered search tool. This surprising homepage takeover marks a rare departure from the norm and reflects just how seriously Google is taking its next-gen search technology.
What Is AI Mode and How Does It Work?
Launched in March 2025, AI Mode is a conversational search experience powered by Gemini, Google's most advanced large language model (LLM). While the feature has been live for a few months in select regions, this is its most prominent promotion yet.
AI Mode is designed to enhance how we search by offering:
The ability to ask complex or multi-part questions
In-depth, AI-generated responses
Interaction through text, voice, or even image uploads
Rather than clicking through multiple links, users can now receive synthesized answers to intricate questions all in one conversational exchange. It’s search, reimagined.
Why Google Chose to Promote AI Mode via the Doodle Space
Google's homepage Doodles typically celebrate cultural icons, scientific milestones, or global events. This time, however, Google used the platform to promote its own technology, showcasing a short animation for AI Mode. A spokesperson clarified that this wasn't a traditional Doodle, but rather “just a fun promo” to raise awareness about the new feature.
This isn't the first time Google has experimented with its homepage to highlight AI tools. Back in May, the company briefly replaced the iconic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button with a shortcut to AI Mode a subtle yet clear signal of Google's intent to change how users interact with search.
The Bigger Picture: Google’s Strategic AI Push
Google’s decision to highlight AI Mode so prominently underscores the growing importance of artificial intelligence in search and everyday digital interactions. With competition heating up in the AI space, Google is making strategic moves to position its Gemini-powered AI at the forefront of this evolution.
This homepage move isn’t just marketing it's a message. Google is nudging billions of users to adapt to a more intuitive, intelligent way of searching. It envisions a future where users don’t just look for answers they have conversations to find them.
Final Thoughts
By repurposing its homepage Doodle space, Google is making a bold statement: AI Mode is here to stay, and it’s the future of search. With Gemini at its core, this tool represents a major shift in how users can explore and understand information online conversationally, intelligently, and efficiently.