Google is rolling out a new voice-powered feature called Search Live for its Google app on both iOS and Android, designed to provide a more conversational way to search the web. Available only in the US for now, the feature is part of Google’s ongoing AI Mode experiment in Google Labs.
Search Live allows back-and-forth voice conversation with Google Search, much like Gemini Live. Once activated, users can simply speak their questions and ask follow-up queries without needing to type. Google says this is ideal for on-the-go searching or when multitasking.
The video below shows how it’s done.
By tapping the new Live icon in the app, users can start voice conversations and receive responses with web links for deeper browsing. You can continue chatting with the AI assistant even while switching to other apps, making it much easier to multitask.
There’s also a Transcript option that lets users switch from voice to text mid-conversation. And with AI Mode history, you can revisit previous responses and resume your search where you left it.
Google says Search Live uses a custom version of Gemini with “advanced voice capabilities.” However, the core features overlap significantly with Gemini Live, which is causing confusion about why Google is splitting its AI tools into seemingly redundant services.
To make things even more confusing, Google plans to give Search Live camera integration in the coming months, enabling users to show the AI what they’re seeing — again, a major feature already present in Gemini Live.