Google has introduced a visually-centered update to its artificial intelligence-powered search.

Now, users who ask a question conversationally can get a range of visual results, and refine their search in the manner most natural to them, the tech giant said Tuesday (Sept. 30).

“Let’s say you’re searching for maximalist design inspiration for your bedroom. Now, AI Mode will help you turn your vague idea into a clear vision,” Google wrote on its blog. “You’ll see rich visuals that match the vibe you’re looking for, and can follow up in whatever way is most natural for you, like asking for more options with dark tones and bold prints.”

Each image comes with a link, the most continues, letting users click out and learn more when something gets their attention. The experience is also multimodal, letting users begin their search by uploading an image or snapping a photo.

People who want to shop using this new method can describe what they’re searching for — similar to the way they’d speak with a friend — without having to sort through filters, and Google will show them visual shopping results. 

“Perhaps you’re looking for the best weekend jeans for fall,” the blog post said. “Rather than sifting through filters to find the right style, rise, color, size or brand, just say ‘barrel jeans that aren’t too baggy,’ and AI Mode will intelligently provide a relevant set of shoppable options.”

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Research by PYMNTS Intelligence has shown that AI shopping adoption is already gaining traction among younger and middle-aged consumers, with roughly one-third of all respondents saying they have used or would use generative AI for shopping.

“Overall, 32% of people surveyed said they used gen AI for shopping,” PYMNTS wrote last month. “The use case reporting the highest percentage was work at 40%, followed by creative endeavors and educational purposes.”

Aside from Google’s new offering, other companies entering into this space include Amazon, whose “Buy For Me” feature allows shoppers to order merchandise from other websites while remaining inside Amazon’s platform.

PayPal has teamed with Perplexity to serve as the embedded checkout option within the AI chatbot, while Visa and Mastercard are rolling out agentic commerce.

More recently, OpenAI said it would begin allowing American ChatGPT users to make purchases from Etsy and some Shopify merchants within the chatbot.