Google updated AI Mode: sources now open next to the chat

Google updated the AI Mode function in the Chrome browser: from April 2026, clicking a link to a source in the chat opens the site next to the AI Mode window, not in a new browser tab as before. Now you can ask clarifying questions about the content of the open page directly without switching between tabs.

How AI Mode worked before

AI Mode is a chatbot-like Google search function that works in a tab to the left of the main search page. The service launched in 2025, and since then Google has regularly added new features to it, expanding the function beyond simple responses to text questions. Before the April update, clicking on any source link in AI Mode behaved like a regular browser link: the site opened in a new tab, and the conversation with the assistant remained in another window, and to return to the conversation, you had to switch between tabs manually.

• The update was released in April 2026 and changes the behavior of source links in AI Mode
• Previously, clicking on a source opened a new browser tab
• Now the source website opens next to the AI Mode chat, in one window
• AI Mode launched in 2025 as a chatbot-like Google search function
• Over the past year, image generation by description, trip visualization, and agent-based restaurant booking have been added to AI Mode

What else AI Mode can do

Over the past year, Google has added several features to AI Mode that go beyond regular text search. According to The Verge, the assistant learned to generate images of clothing and interior items based on user text descriptions, visualize plans for future trips directly in the chat, and arrange restaurant table bookings in agent mode — that is, perform some actions independently without the user transitioning to a third-party website.

"AI

Mode is a chatbot-like search function that lives in a tab to the left of the main Google search page," notes The Verge.

Why Google is changing how links work

The "website next to chat" format solves a specific problem with AI-powered search: previously, following a source would break the conversation with the assistant — a tab with the site would open separately, and you would have to return to AI Mode to continue the conversation. Now both windows remain on screen at the same time, and questions about the open page can be asked immediately without switching between tabs.

What this means

Google is trying to keep users inside search as long as possible: instead of transitioning to external sites in a separate tab, AI Mode now displays them right next to the chat, preserving the conversation context. This is a logical continuation of the company's strategy — turning search from a list of links into an interface where users get an answer and take action without leaving Google.

Frequently asked questions

What changed when clicking on a source in AI Mode?

Previously, clicking a link to a source opened the site in a new browser tab, but now the site opens next to the AI Mode chat window, in the same window, and you can immediately ask about its content.

When was AI Mode launched?

AI Mode launched in 2025 as a chatbot-like search function that works in a tab to the left of the main Google search page.

What features were added to AI Mode over the past year?

Google added image generation for clothing and interiors by description, visualization of tourist routes, and agent-based restaurant table booking to AI Mode.