Unlocking Google’s New AI Agents: Elevate Your Search Experience Beyond the Basics
At the Google I/O 2026 keynote, the tech giant unveiled new agentic functionalities in Search, enabling users to create, customize, and oversee multiple AI agents to stay informed on topics of interest. This announcement is part of Google’s broader initiative toward agentic AI systems capable of taking initiative and assisting with ongoing tasks rather than simply answering one question at a time.
Unlike conventional search tools that respond solely when prompted, Google’s information agents are built to operate consistently in the background, 24/7, helping users remain updated on their interests without the need to repetitively search for the same information each day.
Instead of providing a list of links, the agents can synthesize information from various sources, explain the significance of certain facts, compare viewpoints, and deliver actionable insights. In many ways, these agents represent the next iteration of Google Alerts, the notification service launched in 2003. However, they are engineered to transcend basic notifications.
For example, an individual monitoring the stock market could establish an information agent focused on specific companies, share prices, or economic trends. The agent could track market activity throughout the day, monitor breaking news, summarize earnings reports, alert users of major changes, and provide summaries along with links for further exploration.
Additionally, it could assist with everyday tasks, such as tracking flight prices for upcoming trips, monitoring sports teams and live events, staying updated on breaking news, keeping an eye on housing or job market trends, and tracking weather or traffic conditions.
To use the feature, users can activate AI Mode in Search and enter a prompt.
For instance: “Keep me updated on nearby movie tickets for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu.’” When relevant information becomes available, the Google app sends a push notification. Users can also view their active tracked topics in their AI Mode history, allowing them to manage, refine, or disable an alert.
Information agents will be available this summer. The feature will first roll out to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S. and later to additional markets.
Alongside these information agents, Google introduced a significant redesign of Search, featuring what it describes as a reimagined “intelligent search box,” marking the biggest change to Search in over 25 years. The new interface is crafted to support longer, more conversational queries. There’s also a new AI-powered query suggestion system that surpasses traditional autocomplete, assisting users in creating nuanced and context-aware searches.
Catch up on the rest of Google IO 2026’s big news
- Google Search as you know it is over
- Google updates Gemini app to compete with ChatGPT and Claude
- Google introduces Gemini Spark, a 24/7 agent assistant with Gmail integration
- How to use Google’s new information agents
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