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Google Testing Removing AI Mode From Search Bar

You can follow Barry on Twitter at @rustybrick or on LinkedIn and read his full bio over hereGoogle is supposedly testing removing the AI Mode button from the Google Search bar. I cannot replicate this, but it doesn't surprise me that Google would test removing the AI Mode bar for a tiny subset of searchers to compare how it performs versus when the AI Mode button is available. This was spotted by Len Raleigh who wrote on X, "Google took away AI Mode in incognito / Chrome." He added that this is "just a test - I still have AI Mode on other machines and on other sessions." Google added the AI Mode button back in May 2025, here is what it looks like:Forum discussion at X.

Barry Schwartz is the CEO of RustyBrick and a technologist, a New York Web service firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales. Barry is also the founder of the Search Engine Roundtable and the News Editor of Search Engine Land . He is well known & respected for his expertise in the search marketing industry. He only provides consulting services to expert SEOs and also performs search marketing expert witness services. Barry graduated from the City University of New York and lives with his family in the NYC region. You can follow Barry on Twitter at @rustybrick or on LinkedIn and read his full bio over here

Google is supposedly testing removing the AI Mode button from the Google Search bar. I cannot replicate this, but it doesn't surprise me that Google would test removing the AI Mode bar for a tiny subset of searchers to compare how it performs versus when the AI Mode button is available.

This was spotted by Len Raleigh who wrote on X, "Google took away AI Mode in incognito / Chrome." He added that this is "just a test - I still have AI Mode on other machines and on other sessions."

Here is his screenshot:

Again, Google will do these tests on a small subset of searchers, just to track data and compare it to the masses.

Google added the AI Mode button back in May 2025, here is what it looks like:

Forum discussion at X.

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