Chrome's AI Mode now shows the assistant and the webpage next to each other, so you can see both at once. Google says it will keep search context visible as you explore links.

What changed in Chrome

Google has updated AI Mode in Chrome so that clicking a search result doesn't force you to leave the conversational interface. On Chrome for desktop, clicking a result in AI Mode splits the window so the page opens beside the assistant instead of swapping it out. That layout keeps the chat-style search window in view while you read a website, compare details and ask follow-up questions.

The company frames the change as a way to reduce tab switching and help people stay focused on a task while consulting both the web and the AI-powered search assistant. Early testers reportedly liked not having to switch tabs while reading long pieces or watching videos and asking the assistant for help.

How the side-by-side flow works

Using the feature is straightforward. On Chrome desktop, click a result while in AI Mode and the browser will split the view: AI Mode stays on one side and the web page appears on the other. When you ask follow-ups, the assistant pulls context from the open page and checks other web sources to shape its reply.

That means you can ask the assistant page-specific queries such as how easy a product is to clean or where a technical detail appears in a long piece. The assistant will draw on the content of the open page and cross-reference that with other information it has access to on the web to generate its replies.

Google added a way to bring in content from tabs you already have open so the assistant can use that material in the conversation. On Chrome desktop or mobile, tap the new “plus” menu in the search box on the New Tab page or in AI Mode. Then you pick which recent tabs to include in the AI Mode session; those pages become part of what the assistant can reference. Selected tabs — articles, images or files — are added as context that the assistant can consult when it answers.

Examples Google uses

The company outlined a few concrete ways the combined view and tab selection can be used. If you're shopping for a coffee maker, you can tell AI Mode what you care about and get a selection of recommended models. Click a retailer's page and open it next to AI Mode, then ask targeted questions about cleaning, warranty or features.

The assistant will reference the page and other web sources as it answers.

Google gave more practical examples. If you already have a set of tabs about local hiking trails, you can add them into an AI Mode search and then ask for similar routes in another region. If you're studying for a statistics exam, you can bring in lecture slides, class notes and open tabs and then ask AI Mode for worked examples tuned to that material.

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Why Google built it

Google says the goal is to preserve the thread of a search while letting users explore the web more deeply. The conversational interface in AI Mode is designed to provide summaries, compare options and handle follow-up queries; combining that interface with a persistent view of the target page shortens the loop between reading and asking.

That design also addresses a common friction in modern browsing. People often juggle multiple tabs, copy and paste excerpts, or switch context when they want the help of an assistant. By bringing the page and the assistant together, Google aims to reduce those interruptions.

Availability and rollout

The new side-by-side behaviour and the tab-inclusion feature are available now in the U.S. Google said it plans to expand the features to more regions over time. The company didn't publish an exact global timeline with the announcement.

Both features work in Chrome on desktop. The tab-selection workflow is also available on mobile through the New Tab page or AI Mode.

Google said the tab-mixing feature lets you bring images, files or tabs into a conversation so the assistant can use them as context.

What it means for users and workflows

For everyday users, the update changes a routine interaction: asking a question and then opening results. Now the assistant remains in view so you can probe an answer further while inspecting the source material. That could make tasks like product research, travel planning and study sessions feel more continuous.

For people who use the web for work, the side-by-side layout may reduce time lost to context switching. If you're synthesizing information from multiple documents, adding tabs into AI Mode means you don't have to manually gather and paste content into the chat. The assistant can reference those sources directly during the conversation.

Users should still worry about privacy and how page content gets handled by the assistant. Google didn't add new privacy controls in this announcement, and the company didn't release a detailed technical explainer of how page content and tab context are processed when handed to AI Mode. The company blog focused on workflow and UX details and gave few technical answers about how data is processed.

How this fits into Google's broader AI push

The side-by-side feature is one of several recent moves by Google to fold conversational AI into everyday search and browsing. AI Mode is positioned as an extension of search that can summarize, compare and answer follow-ups in a chat-like format. Keeping the AI interface visible while you view pages nudges that assistant closer to the place where people actually read and evaluate information.

Google's announcement makes clear the company sees value in making AI Mode a persistent companion during research tasks. The new tab-selection feature also lets users pull context from the existing browsing session into the assistant's scope, which can shorten the path from scattered tabs and notes to a coherent answer.

There are trade-offs. A persistent assistant changes the browser real estate users have available. Some people prefer a cleaner, single-pane view. Others may welcome the ability to keep AI help visible without losing the page they're reading. Google appears to be testing that balance by rolling the feature out incrementally.

Next steps and what to watch

Watch for the regional expansion of the side-by-side and tab-inclusion features. Google said the updates are currently limited to the U.S., and it intends to bring them to more countries at a later date. How quickly the company broadens availability will show how confident it's in the feature set and how well it scales across languages and local norms.

Also watch for further detail on how content from open tabs and pages is processed and retained while AI Mode is active. As conversational assistants become more tightly integrated with browsing, users and regulators will seek clarity on data handling, retention and consent.

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The new updates to AI Mode are now available in the U.S., and Google plans to expand them to additional regions in the future.

This article was created with AI assistance.