Why You Care
Ever wish your phone could understand what you see and talk about it in real-time? Google’s latest move might make that a reality for many. Google is bringing its AI-powered conversational search feature, Search Live, to India. This expansion also includes support for seven new Indian languages in its AI Mode. Why should you care? This means more intuitive, visually-driven search experiences are becoming mainstream, potentially changing how you interact with information daily.
What Actually Happened
Google has launched its AI-powered conversational search feature, Search Live, in India, according to the announcement. This new capability supports both English and Hindi languages from the outset. India is now the second market globally, after the U.S., to receive Search Live. The company reports that this feature builds upon Google’s Project Astra system. It is accessible through the existing AI Mode within the Google app. Users can point their phone cameras at objects to get real-time assistance. What’s more, it supports back-and-forth conversations that draw on the visual context from the camera feed. Google plans to use India’s early adoption to train its systems on a wider range of visual contexts, making Search Live more capable over time.
Why This Matters to You
This expansion means a more dynamic and interactive search experience is arriving for a massive user base. Imagine you are exploring a new city and spot an unfamiliar plant. Instead of typing a description, you can simply point your camera at it. Search Live will identify it and even answer your follow-up questions verbally. This is a significant step towards more natural human-computer interaction. The company reports that India is a crucial market for this kind of creation. “People in India are power users of multimodal search, forming our largest user base for both voice and visual search globally,” said Hema Budaraja, vice president of product management for Search at Google. This highlights the importance of this region for AI creation.
What kind of real-world problems could this new visual search solve for you?
Here’s a quick look at the expanded language support:
- Bengali
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Marathi
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Urdu
This broad language support ensures that a wider demographic can benefit from these AI advancements. It makes search more accessible and personal for millions. The team revealed that Search Live is starting to roll out to users in India today. It will reach more people over the coming weeks, according to the announcement.
The Surprising Finding
Here’s an interesting twist: Google had previously revealed that Search Live is also known as Gemini Live. This was introduced in May and offers a comparable experience. This overlap could easily confuse some users, as mentioned in the release. It’s surprising that two seemingly distinct product names are used for what appears to be the same core system. This might suggest Google is experimenting with branding or targeting different user segments. It challenges the assumption that new features will always have unique, clear names. What’s more, it could indicate a strategy to gradually unify their AI offerings under the Gemini brand. This dual naming might also be a way to test market reception for different names. The company reports that both features offer real-time AI video and deep research capabilities.
What Happens Next
Search Live is currently rolling out to Indian users and will become widely available over the coming weeks. This phased approach allows Google to monitor performance and gather user feedback. For example, by the end of the next quarter, we can expect a significant portion of Indian users to have access. The industry implications are substantial. This expansion will likely accelerate AI adoption in India and provide valuable data for Google’s AI models. It could also spur other tech companies to enhance their multimodal search capabilities. Your next step could be to check your Google app for the ‘Live’ icon under the search bar. Alternatively, open Lens and select ‘Live’ from the bottom of the screen. This will let you experience the new features firsthand. This ongoing creation indicates a future where visual and conversational AI are deeply integrated into our daily digital lives.