Google has launched a new feature for Android users that allows them to access its advanced AI mode directly from the home screen. This development is expected to make AI technology more accessible to a wider audience.
With the release of Google app version 16.28, users can easily activate Gemini AI Mode by simply tapping the Google Search widget, making conversational AI more readily available than ever before.
This new release is not a design adjustment. It encapsulates Google’s larger aspiration: to make AI not just more powerful, but also more accessible to everyday life.
Google AI Mode is the next iteration of the search and surf method. Rather than presenting web links, it enables natural, give-and-take conversations, driven by Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google’s most sophisticated AI model to date.
From summarizing heavy content and answering math questions to composing professional emails and even producing code, AI Mode turns your phone into a full-fledged assistant. You can upload photos, pose follow-up questions, or confront hard questions with ease, all through one interface.
Starting is under a minute:
Long-press the Google Search widget on your home screen
Tap on ‘Customize’ or ‘Widget Settings’
Go to the Shortcuts section
Tap on ‘AI Mode’
A round AI search tool icon will now show up beside the mic and Lens icons
Tap on it at any time to launch AI Mode in full-screen Gemini view
Tip: If you don’t see the option, update your Google app to the latest version and consider joining Search Labs to gain one-tap access and full authorization.
Also Read: Aeneas: Google’s New AI Model that Reconstructs History
Whether you’re a student, creator, professional, or just exploring, Google AI Mode offers a powerful new way to engage with information:
Draft emails, reports, or social media posts in seconds.
Dive deep into research with follow-up questions.
Summarize long articles or PDFs instantly.
Generate or debug code with natural prompts.
Analyze photos or screenshots with AI insight.
Get homework help or prep for interviews in real time.
This is more than just a search experience; it’s a personalized productivity engine.
Adding AI Mode to the Android home screen is a deliberate evolution of how we use our devices. By placing all those motherly smarts of Gemini right in your palm, Google has turned the home screen into the gateway of higher-level intelligent conversation, deeper insight, and quick answers.
You don’t have to open standalone apps or burrow through menus anymore. AI is now integrated into the cadence of your day, at your fingertips, the instant you wake up your phone.
Long-press > Add > Tap > Go.
Your new digital assistant is ready on your home screen.