In a recent development, Google is trialing a feature in Chrome that directs users immediately to AI Mode, skipping the traditional search interface. This modification is currently found in the latest version of the Chrome Canary build for desktop users on Mac, Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS, but it has not yet been made available for mobile devices.
The new functionality activates when users type anything other than a URL into the Chrome Omnibox, leading them straight into AI Mode. However, this feature remains disabled by default, requiring users to manually enable it through the chrome://flags settings. Google clarified that this is merely an exploratory feature with no immediate plans to implement it widely.
As AI continues to gain prominence within Google's strategies, the possibility of this behavior becoming standard cannot be completely ruled out. For now, standard Google Search remains the default experience for users of Chrome.