I never liked the AI Overviews that populate Google Search results, but Google Search just added a few AI features that I’d actually enjoy. The Simplify tool works only in the Google app, using AI to make complex text easier to understand. Then there’s the even more useful AI Mode, which essentially puts a chatbot like ChatGPT or Gemini inside a different Google Search menu. That way, you can have an actual chat with the AI about whatever you’re searching for.
If you’re a Gemini user, you can already use the chatbot to perform web searches, so you don’t need AI Mode for a Gemini-like experience. But there’s a big reason why Google is bringing AI Mode to Google Search. It’s the same reason you’d be better off chatting with Gemini through the Gemini app: Privacy.
One of these will monetize your searches through ads, while the other won’t.
Your Gemini conversations won’t be targeted by ads as long as they happen in the Gemini app. Google says so. Google does collect that chat data unless you opt out. If you don’t opt out, your chat data might also be used to train the model. You should opt out of letting your data train AI whenever possible, no matter who makes the model.
Chats in AI Mode inside Google Search don’t get the same privacy protections. That’s because they happen in Google Search, where Google serves those highly effective and personalized ads that make it so much money.
Yes, AI Mode is in a different tab, but it’s still part of the Google Search experience, which includes ads. That means all the data Google collects from Google Search, AI Mode included, can be used to help target ads more effectively.
Those Gemini-powered chats in AI Mode, along with the history of previous chats, will contribute to ad personalization. You can disable Web & App Activity in your Google account to reduce the amount of data collected, but that will also delete the AI Mode history you’ve stored on your device.
All of this might not be immediately obvious, and it’s definitely not clear to users who don’t use Gemini but want to try AI Mode. If you’re looking for better privacy, using the Gemini app to search the web is a smarter choice than using AI Mode in Google Search.
That said, if you allow Google to train its AI models using your Gemini data, then you’re giving up even more valuable information. It might not be used for ads, but those chats offer high-quality data that helps train the AI.
If you want the best of both worlds, disable Gemini’s data collection for model training and stay away from AI Mode in Google Search.
Also, you need to go through Google Labs to access AI Mode in Google Search, and the feature is currently only available in the US. You can use AI Mode in incognito mode to avoid having your chats used for ad targeting, but Gemini is still the better option.
Of course, you could be using a completely different AI chatbot and ignoring AI Mode altogether. Maybe you prefer ChatGPT, Claude, or Meta AI. Whatever you choose, make sure you opt out of model training with your data. That way, Google won’t collect anything from you, since you’re not using Gemini or AI Mode.
Why is Google offering similar AI features in both Google Search and Gemini? It’s simple. Most people use Google Search, but not everyone uses Gemini. And even fewer pay for Gemini access. Google Search brings in way more revenue than Gemini. That’s why Google wants to bring more AI features into Search.
This approach lets Google compete with ChatGPT in several ways while chasing different goals. AI Mode gives users a taste of what Gemini can do. Maybe that’ll lead to more Gemini Advanced subscriptions. If not, AI Mode still helps Google gather more data that can be monetized with ads, which is where Google makes the most money.
I’m not saying AI Mode is a bad feature. It’s great to have a chatbot-style experience in Google Search, especially if you’re not using other AI tools. I also expect Google to roll out AI Mode globally before long.
But if you’re aiming for a more private web search, Gemini is the better way to go.
