Google Highlights AI Mode with Animated Homepage Logo

Summary

• On July 1, Google showcased AI Mode via an animated homepage logo in the U.S., where the letters morph into a colorful gradient “G” doodle.
• Clicking the animated logo or the tagline “Try AI Mode and search like never before” takes users to the AI Mode results page.
• This campaign runs across desktop, Chrome’s New Tab pages, the Google mobile app, and Discover feed.
• Google aims to boost AI Mode adoption with visual cues and product placements—a move that may replace traditional buttons like “I’m Feeling Lucky.”
• The rollout includes further features like voice-search (“Search Live”), camera queries, Deep Search with Gmail context, and AI agents that can book services.
• These efforts underline Google’s broader strategy to make AI-enhanced search central to its platform.

🔍 What Happened

On July 1, U.S.-based Google users saw a vibrant animated doodle replacing the standard homepage logo. The letters of “Google” elegantly merged into a rainbow-gradient “G”—a visual metaphor for AI Mode’s capability to blend information intelligently. Beneath the search bar, the prompt “Try AI Mode and search like never before” appeared, typically used only for major product announcements.

Clicking the doodle or tagline launches AI Mode: a search interface that combines concise AI-generated summaries with web results and a stylish colored interface. This animation aligns with Google’s recent ads in Chrome and Reddit promoting the same feature.

🧭 Why It Matters

Google’s homepage logo is prime digital real estate—usually reserved for major events. Highlighting AI Mode here signals a strong strategic intent to make AI search the default user experience. This visual push aims to normalize AI Mode among general users and may indicate upcoming UX redesigns, like phasing out older buttons