Chrome buttons push AI Mode, a feature the €460m EU search fine did not cover
TLDR
Chrome, which holds a 68.81% share, now feeds users into Google's AI Mode, a feature its own code limits to Google search users, and it is unclear whether rules in Washington, Brussels or London can reach those buttons.
Optimixed Overview
Optimixed's original report on this story.
PPC Land notes that Chrome, with a 68.81% share, now feeds users into AI Mode, a feature its own code restricts to people using Google search. The piece asks whether regulators in Washington, Brussels or London can reach those Chrome buttons, a question the €460m EU search fine did not address.
How we got here: earlier coverage
On July 16, the EU mandated that Google share search data with competitors beginning in 2027. On October 29, Alphabet reported that its third-quarter ad revenue rose 10.5% to about $82 billion, and Google said ads in AI Mode would reach 10 more markets. On November 1, Google's Shivani Mohan said one in six searches is multimodal, though the May data covered only US AI Mode. Now, Chrome, which holds a 68.81% share, is feeding users into AI Mode, a feature its code limits to Google search users, and it is unclear whether rules in Washington, Brussels or London can reach those buttons.
Summary of earlier coverage
- Nov 12Bing Adds an AI-Off Switch for Chrome That Also Sets Bing as the Default Search Engine
Bing now hides AI answers when -ai is added to a query, and the same switch is tied to making Bing the default search engine in Chrome.
- Nov 1Google's Shivani Mohan says one in six searches is multimodal, based on May data limited to US AI Mode
Google's Shivani Mohan told advertisers that one in six searches is multimodal, but the May data covered only US AI Mode.
- Oct 29Alphabet's Q3 ad revenue rises 10.5% as AI Mode ads expand to 10 more markets
Alphabet's Q3 ad revenue rose 10.5% to about $82 billion, and Google said ads in AI Mode will reach 10 more markets.
- Jul 16EU Orders Google to Share Search Data With Competitors Starting in 2027
The EU has mandated that Google share search data with competitors beginning in 2027, a significant regulatory intervention into search market practices.