Buckle up: Google is set to remake search with agentic AI in 2026

Published on 5/20/2026, 5:31:04 PM

Key points

Last year marked the beginning of Google’s explicit focus on AI search, and this year’s I/O solidified that shift.
As Google’s search VP Liz Reid said during the keynote, “Google search is AI search.” This change is well underway, and the very reasonable objections to this path will not dissuade the company.
All the metrics that matter to Google say this is the right move.
But at the end of the day, Google can get whatever outcome it wants because it’s just that big and influential.
Google started testing AI Mode for search just over a year ago, making the shift official at I/O 2025. You hear a lot of complaints around the Internet about how AI is changing Google’s search products, but Google is getting what it wants: more searches.

Quick context: Last year marked the beginning of Google’s explicit focus on AI search, and this year’s I/O solidified that shift.

Published May 20, 2026.

📌 Source: Ryan Whitwam

The BriefWire