Google reported strong growth in search queries in 2025, with search volume rising by 17% in the fourth quarter. The company attributes this mainly to AI Mode, which it says has encouraged users to carry out more searches. This explanation runs counter to concerns that AI assistants could undermine Google’s core search business.
However, it remains unclear how meaningful the figures really are. AI Mode is fundamentally changing the way people search: more queries are now submitted by voice or image rather than through traditional text input. A conversational interface therefore creates different patterns of interaction from a conventional search box. Google’s explanations of its results do not define whether follow-up questions in AI Mode are counted as separate searches, or whether voice and image inputs are measured in the same way as traditional text queries. This makes comparisons with previous years difficult. In other words, a “search query” today may no longer mean quite the same thing as it did in 2019.
Google’s strong market position is another factor. The company’s search index is more than twice the size of Bing’s, which affects the competitive landscape. It therefore remains unclear whether the growth primarily reflects user preferences or is also being driven by Google’s distribution strength and market position.
By Ida Kandler
Source: Gadget Hacks, 29 April 2026, by the editorial team