Google Search Labs gains Agentic capabilities in AI Mode

Google Search Labs has a new experiment you can opt into that turns on some Agentic capabilities within AI Mode. This allows Google to help you make a reservation at a restaurant and will soon give you the ability to book local service appointments and event tickets.

Agentic capabilities in AI Mode. The new labs feature works for users in the US who are signed into their Google account. You can opt in and review the features over here.

AI Mode in Google Search now has agentic capabilities to help with your everyday local needs. “We’re starting with restaurant reservations, and expanding soon to local service appointments and event tickets,” Google wrote.

This is available in the US, in English, to users 18+ in Google Search Labs. To get the full experience, you must be signed in to a personal Google Account that you manage on your own, and turn on Web & App Activity.

More details. Robby Stein, VP, Product at Google Search, wrote on X:

Excited to be expanding access for this. Agentic capabilities in AI Mode for finding restaurant reservations are now available to all users opted into Labs in the U.S. Try it for yourself today.

For example, you can now ask “find me a dinner reservation for 3 people this Friday after 6pm around Logan square. craving ramen or bibimbap.” AI Mode will search across multiple reservation platforms and websites to find real-time availability for restaurants that meet your specific needs — like the right location, cuisines, or group size. And then present you with a curated list of restaurants with available reservation slots to choose from. AI Mode does the legwork and links you directly to the booking page, so you can easily take the last step and finalize your reservation, Google explained.

What it looks like. Here are some screenshots of the reservation booking Agentic experience in AI Mode:

Why we care. This shows you where Google is headed with AI Mode. Google wants searchers to complete tasks directly in Google Search. And Agentic experiences like this show you how Google will accomplish this. From reservations, booking an oil change to buying your next ticket to a sporting events, agents will play a big role with this in the future.

Will your clients and your websites be ready for this change?

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Barry Schwartz is a technologist and a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land and a member of the programming team for SMX events. He owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics.In 2019, Barry was awarded the Outstanding Community Services Award from Search Engine Land, in 2018 he was awarded the US Search Awards the “US Search Personality Of The Year,” you can learn more over here and in 2023 he was listed as a top 50 most influential PPCer by Marketing O’Clock.Barry can be followed on X here and you can learn more about Barry Schwartz over here or on his personal site.