Just in time for the new school year, Google’s AI Mode is rolling out some fresh updates meant to help students, teachers, and anyone else who’s got a lot on their plate. The updates include tools like Canvas for planning, live video help, and support for PDFs — all designed to make searching feel more interactive and valuable.
Ask About Images and PDFs
If you’ve used AI Mode on your phone to ask questions about images, you’ll be glad to know that feature is now coming to desktop. Even better, support for uploading PDFs is on the way. That means you’ll be able to drag in your lecture slides or reading material and ask follow-up questions to make sense of what you’re studying.
Say you’ve got a PDF from a psych class — you can upload it, ask detailed questions, and get explanations that combine what’s in the file with other sources from around the web. The idea is to help you not just skim, but understand.
For now, this works in English for users in the U.S. and India who are 18 and older. And shortly, you’ll also be able to upload other types of files, including stuff from Google Drive.
Stay Organized with Canvas
Tackling a big assignment or prepping for exams? That’s where the new Canvas feature comes in. It’s kind of like a digital notebook that builds itself as you go. You start with a question or task, like “Help me plan for my biology exam,” and AI Mode helps you put together a study plan. Then, it keeps updating and adapting based on your follow-up questions.
You can create a Canvas with just one click, and it opens in a side panel that sticks around as you keep refining your plan. Soon, you’ll even be able to upload files like class notes or syllabi, and AI Mode will pull in that info to make your Canvas more tailored to you.
The feature will be available soon for users in the U.S. who are part of the AI Mode Labs experiment on desktop.
Real-Time Help with Search Live
Another big update is called Search Live, and it’s built for those moments when you’re trying to understand something happening right in front of you. Say you’re working on a science experiment or trying to fix something at home. With your phone’s camera, you can show AI Mode what you’re looking at and get real-time help.
Google Lens powers the search Live feature and includes features from Project Astra. It’s like chatting with someone who sees what you see and can walk you through it. Point your phone at the problem, tap “Live,” ask your question, and get an answer that makes sense — with links to go deeper if you want.
Search Live with video is launching now on mobile in the U.S. for users in the Labs program.
Ask About What’s on Your Screen
If you’re browsing on Chrome, you’ll soon notice a new option when you click into the address bar — something like “Ask Google about this page.” It works with Lens and lets you highlight parts of a website, image, or PDF to get an explanation right in a side panel.
Maybe you’re stuck on a geometry diagram or a tricky paragraph in a paper. Just click, highlight, and AI Mode will give you a quick overview, plus the option to ask more questions right from there. You’ll see buttons like “Dive deeper” to continue the conversation and learn more, without leaving the page.
Bottom line
These updates to AI Mode make it easier to search and learn in ways that feel more natural, especially when dealing with schoolwork or complicated topics. Whether you’re reading a textbook, studying for a test, or just curious about something you see, there’s now a faster way to dig in and make sense of it all.
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