Google Search Becomes Autonomous—No Longer Requires Your Input

AI agents are ubiquitous. Every software briefing I’ve attended over the past year has referenced agents—utilizing generative AI tools to streamline digital tasks. Despite some notable moments in early 2026, such as the innovative OpenClaw agent that early adopters relied on to organize their online lives, the majority of people have yet to fully embrace this mode of automation in their daily routines. However, this trend may soon change if Google has its way.

During Google I/O, the tech giant unveiled its plan to transform its widely used search engine into a central hub for introducing billions of users to the company’s agent capabilities.

“You will be able to create, customize, and manage multiple AI agents for your various tasks, directly within Search,” explains Liz Reid, the head of Search at Google. She illustrates this by describing the setup of an agent to monitor stock market trends and send alerts based on real-time data—triggered when specific conditions are satisfied.

In addition to these new agent features coming to Search, Google also introduced a new foundational model, Gemini 3.5 Flash, which will serve as the global standard for AI Mode responses, along with enhancements to the Search box to improve its responsiveness to user inputs.

Always-On Answers

One of the primary agent experiences making its debut is a novel approach to dynamic data collection via “information agents” that can be more proactive than earlier search experiences and automate alerts through conversational requests.

“Ask Google to keep you updated on anything, and now our agents can operate on your behalf even when you’re not using Google,” states Robby Stein, a vice president of product for Search. “So, you could be sleeping, and it’s still working for you.” This feature will initially roll out to subscribers of Google’s AI Pro and Ultra plans this summer.

In an illustration of how these agents function, a user can request AI Mode via the Google app to be “notified when any of my favorite athletes launch sneaker collaborations or signature releases.” Consequently, AI Mode generates a personalized info agent tailored to that user, tasked with monitoring the request. When a new shoe that satisfies these conditions is released, like A’ja Wilson’s pink Nikes, the user receives a notification containing essential details and purchase options.

Booking agents represent another style of automation in Search that Google plans to enhance this summer. At earlier I/O events, Google introduced similar AI capabilities, such as the now-retired Duplex, which would contact businesses on your behalf to arrange restaurant reservations or salon appointments. Google continues to build upon this core idea with agents capable of researching pertinent information about local businesses, even reaching out to that nearby barber for a price quote on a beard trim if it’s not available on the website, thereby assisting users in gathering information with minimal effort.