Google has launched a significant update to its Chrome browser, introducing a dedicated AI Mode designed to eliminate the constant shuffling between tabs that has long defined the web experience.
The update focuses on side-by-side browsing, allowing users to interact with AI-generated summaries while simultaneously viewing the original source websites in a split-screen layout.
For years, searching for complex information meant opening a dozen different tabs to compare sources. With the new AI Mode in Chrome desktop, clicking a link within an AI-generated summary no longer forces a jump to a new window. Instead, the chosen website opens alongside the search panel.
This layout allows for a more natural workflow. You can read a technical article on one side of the screen while asking follow-up questions to the AI on the other. If the AI makes a mistake or needs more detail, you can point it toward specific sections of the live webpage you are currently viewing. It is a practical solution for researchers and students who need to verify facts without losing their place.
The update also introduces a new “plus” (+) menu within the Chrome search box. This tool allows users to manually feed context into the AI. By clicking the plus icon, you can attach recently opened tabs, local images, or even PDF documents directly to your query.
This means if you have three different travel blogs open and a flight itinerary saved as a PDF, you can attach all of them to a single search. You can then ask the AI to “create a three-day schedule based on these blogs and my flight times.”
In addition to the Chrome updates, Google is bringing these capabilities directly to the Windows operating system via a revamped Google app. By using a simple keyboard shortcut Alt + Space, users can summon a system-wide search bar.
This desktop version of AI Mode isn’t limited to web results. It can search through local files, installed applications, and Google Drive content simultaneously. It even includes screen-aware features, where the AI can see what is happening in a specific window on your desktop.
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