Google Search Live: AI Turns Search into Real-Time Conversation

Google has officially released its Search Live feature in the U.S., transforming the process of searching from a passive query into an active, real-time conversation. The new tool allows users to talk to an AI that can simultaneously see through their phone’s camera, offering immediate, context-aware answers about the world around them.

Now generally available in the Google app for iOS and Android, Search Live introduces a new "Live" icon under the search bar. When tapped, the feature allows users to enable camera sharing and start speaking their questions. This functionality is also accessible via a new button within the Google Lens interface.

·       Visual Context: Users can point their phone at objects—like a confusing nest of home theater cables or an unfamiliar pastry—and ask the AI for identification and details.

·       Conversational Flow: The system supports back-and-forth dialogue, allowing users to ask follow-up questions, get clarifications, and tap on linked resources without ever needing to type.

·       Query Fan-Out: The AI uses a technique called "query fan-out," where it proactively searches for answers to related questions, providing a broader and more comprehensive response than a single-query search.

The immediacy of Search Live fundamentally changes how people interact with information. Instead of taking a picture and guessing keywords, users can simply ask, "What's this?" with their camera pointed.

Beyond solving technical dilemmas, the tool has practical uses, such as guiding users through hobbies (explaining tools in a matcha kit) or acting as an impromptu science tutor. However, Google cautions that the AI is a guide, not a final arbiter. To counter the potential for vision model inaccuracies due to poor lighting or ambiguous objects, Search Live is designed to back up its answers with direct links to authoritative resources.

Google’s muscle memory—the habit of billions of users to "Google" everything—gives it a critical advantage in the race to deploy multimodal AI tools. While competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Apple’s Siri are all integrating vision and conversation capabilities, Search Live connects this technology to the default behavior of information seeking.

The release of Search Live makes Google’s vision clear: the search experience is moving away from simple questions and answers to a continuous conversation with the environment. If the AI proves accurate, this shift will make the phone a true window that the AI can look out of to provide instant knowledge.