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Google is transforming the way we use Search, integrating artificial intelligence in ways that feel less like browsing and more like being tutored. The tech giant is rolling out an upgraded AI Mode in Search, introducing tools that let users upload images—and soon, PDFs on desktop—to ask questions and receive intelligent, contextual answers. There’s even a new “Canvas” feature designed to help users build interactive study plans, along with real-time visual search powered by your smartphone camera.
These features aren’t groundbreaking in the AI world. You’ve seen them before in apps like Notion AI, Microsoft Copilot, and yes, even Google’s own Gemini. Upload a PDF and ask about it? Already possible. Snap a photo and get real-time analysis? Old news. Build outlines and study guides with a chatbot? Been there.
So what’s the big deal?
Google is baking these tools directly into Search itself—the platform that billions of people around the globe already use every day. While other AI tools require downloads, sign-ups, or tech-savviness, Search is universal. That’s the game-changer. This isn’t about new tech, it’s about putting powerful features in front of people who never went looking for them.
“Search is changing into something else, more interactive and aware of context,” says a Google spokesperson.
But as with many major tech rollouts, Zimbabwe and much of the Global South are watching from the sidelines. Again.
AI Mode is currently only available in the United States and, more recently, India. And even then, it’s limited to users enrolled in Google’s experimental Search Labs programme. No AI-powered camera interactions here. No Canvas. No smart PDF analysis through your browser. Just the same old search bar.
Yet the writing is on the wall. These features are not staying exclusive forever. As Google continues testing and refining AI Mode, global rollout is inevitable. And when it arrives, it has the potential to democratise access to intelligent learning and real-time problem-solving—without needing an AI degree or chatbot obsession.
Until then, Zimbabweans eager to experience this evolution in search will have to rely on existing tools like the Gemini app or third-party platforms. Google Search may be preparing to level up, but for now, the upgrade button hasn’t reached this side of the world.
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