What is Circle to Search (CtS)?
CtS lets users tap any element on their screen and instantly launch a Google search for that item. Traditionally the results show an AI Overview at the top, followed by visual matches and web links.
New AI Mode Integration
In the latest Android app beta (17.3.59.sa.arm64), CtS now defaults to Google’s AI Mode instead of the static AI Overview. Powered by Gemini 3, AI Mode delivers richer, conversational answers and lets users continue a back‑and‑forth dialogue.
How It Works Today
When you trigger CtS, the search bar appears with two tabs:
- AI Mode – the default, showing a detailed answer generated by Gemini 3.
- All – taps to view the classic list of web results, visual matches and the former AI Overview.
What Users Can Expect
• More contextual, multi‑sentence answers
• Quick follow‑up questions without leaving the screen
• The ability to switch back to traditional results at any time.
Why Google Is Making the Change
Google is positioning AI Mode as the primary search experience across its products. By moving CtS to AI Mode, the company tests how conversational answers perform in real‑time, on‑the‑go scenarios.
Future Outlook
If the beta proves successful, AI Mode could become the permanent default for all CtS queries, making the feature “smarter” and more interactive for Android users.
Conclusion
Circle to Search is evolving from a simple visual lookup tool into a conversational assistant powered by Gemini 3. Users who enjoy quick, AI‑driven answers will benefit, while those who prefer classic web listings can still tap the “All” tab.