Onome Amuge

Google has launched a new artificial intelligence–driven feature in its search engine for users in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, in a push to deepen engagement in fast-growing digital markets.

The feature, branded AI Mode, is designed to handle more complex, multi-part questions and allows users to interact with search using text, voice or images. It is powered by a customised version of Google’s Gemini 2.5 model, which the company says enhances reasoning and contextual understanding.

Alex Okosi, managing director for Google Africa, said the update would reimagine the search experience by enabling more intuitive and exploratory queries. “With AI Mode, users will not only find the information they need more easily but will also be empowered to explore a wider range of content,” he added.

A key element of the product is its ability to break down long questions into subtopics, running multiple queries simultaneously to surface more relevant results. Links to external websites will remain prominent in the interface, considered a nod to publisher concerns that AI-driven summaries could reduce web traffic.

The tool will appear as a tab on Google Search results and within its Android and iOS apps. It has been rolled out gradually across the three markets.

The launch comes as Google and rivals including Microsoft intensify efforts to embed generative AI into core products while balancing regulatory scrutiny and the need to sustain the open web. Data from earlier AI experiments, the company said, indicated that AI-powered overviews encouraged users to visit a greater variety of websites and spend longer on them.