Google Expands AI Mode With Search Live Video, PDF Uploads, Canvas Planning & More

Google has officially rolled out a series of powerful updates to AI Mode which includes Search Live with video input, PDF and image uploads, a new Canvas planning interface and deeper integration with Chrome via Google Lens. 

The updates are already live for some users in the AI Mode Labs experiment in the U.S., with broader rollouts planned in the coming weeks. 

And part of this expansion, Google confirmed that these features aim to make Search more interactive, contextual and user-personalized, particularly targeting students and researchers appearing up for the back-to-school season. 

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So what exactly is changing? And how will this reshape the way we interact with Search in 2025?

Search Live Video: A Real-Time AI Companion That Sees What You See

Let’s start with perhaps the most exciting and visible feature: Search Live video input.

Just a month ago, Google introduced Search Live with audio-only capabilities which let users speak to Search in a more fluid, back-and-forth way. Now, they have upped the ante — your camera becomes your search bar.

Think about this. You are in class or watching a YouTube tutorial, and a complicated diagram appears. 

Instead of frantically Googling each term, you just point your camera, tap “Live” in Google Lens and ask “What’s this formula?” or “How does this work?”

Google describes this as your “AI-powered companion” which means a tool that provides explanations on the fly using visual context in real time.

And yes, it is already rolling out this week to testers in the U.S. on Android and iOS, for those enrolled in the AI Mode Labs experiment.

The demo shows it clearly: you are able to pan over visual content, ask contextual follow-up questions and get immediate responses. It feels conversational. But more than that, it feels like you are interacting with an assistant that is present with you, not just reacting to keywords.

Upload PDFs and Images to Search: Context Meets Customization

Search is not just expanding in what it sees but also deepening how it understands your documents.

Google is now adding the ability to upload images and PDFs directly into AI Mode on the web. Image uploads are already available on mobile but now desktop users in the U.S. can do it too. PDF uploads will follow in the coming weeks. 

Let us say you are working on a biology paper. 

You have a dense 40-page PDF with all your reference material. Instead of sifting through manually, you can now upload that document, ask specific questions like “What does this paper say about gene splicing in CRISPR?” and get targeted answers.

What is happening under the hood?

Google says that once uploaded, your files will be analyzed and cross-referenced with the open web. The result is not just a regurgitation of file contents but a synthesis which matches your data to the broader body of public knowledge.

In the near future, Google also plans to allow uploads from Google Drive and more file types beyond PDFs and images. This could completely shift how students and professionals conduct research within Search.

Canvas in AI Mode: Organize Information Over Time

We often use search as a starting point for much larger tasks: planning a trip, preparing for exams or organizing a home renovation. That is where Canvas in AI Mode comes in.

This new feature turns search into a persistent planning assistant. Ask AI Mode to help you create a study guide or plan a vacation, then click “Create Canvas.” 

A side panel appears where your ideas, results and suggestions stay and update dynamically as your query evolves. 

Say you are prepping for your GRE. 

You ask AI Mode for a six-week prep plan. It generates one but you want to focus more on verbal reasoning. Highlight that section, edit and ask for a follow-up. Canvas lets you do all that without starting over or losing context.

Robby Stein, VP of Product for Google Search, puts it clearly: “Whether you’re a student, a parent or just wrapping up a busy summer, AI Mode can help you explore complex questions and discover high-quality information.” 

This feature is now rolling out on desktop web in the U.S. again for users in the AI Mode Labs program. 

Lens in Chrome: “Ask Google About This Page” Becomes a Power Tool

If you thought Lens was just for identifying flowers or scanning QR codes, think again.

Google is now bringing AI Mode directly into Chrome’s Lens feature which means  that you can now interact with any part of a web page using generative AI.

Here is how it works: when browsing in Chrome, you will soon notice a chip that says “Ask Google about this page” in your address bar. 

Click it, select the section you are curious about, let’s say a chart or table and you will get a side-panel AI Overview with summarized insights and a “Dive deeper” button for full AI Mode interaction.

From a UX standpoint, this is massive. 

Instead of opening a new tab to ask about what you are seeing, the explanation now comes to you, contextually and without disruption.

It is worth mentioning that this Lens + AI Mode fusion is not just about convenience. 

It is about making generative search more accessible and more seamless, whether you are reviewing a contract, interpreting a medical article or comparing product specs.

Rolling Out Now: Who Gets Access First?

As with many of Google’s experimental features, access is being gated through Search Labs. If you’re in the U.S. and have enrolled in AI Mode Labs, you will begin seeing:

• Search Live video input on Android and iOS this week.
• Image uploads on desktop now.
• PDF uploads and Canvas in the coming weeks.
• Lens + AI Mode features appearing in Chrome address bar suggestions.

If you are not in Labs yet then wait for some time. Based on Google’s usual rollout timelines, we could see broader availability by the end of the year, especially as demand grows across education and productivity use cases.

Is AI Mode Becoming Google’s OS for Search?

At the end of the day, this is more than just new features but Google showing us its vision for the next generation of Search.

The pieces are falling into place: conversational interfaces, document understanding, memory across sessions and multimodal input. 

Google is clearly aiming to build a layered, assistant-style AI interface around the user’s intent, not just keywords.