Key facts
- A flag in Chrome Canary suggested Google might make AI Mode the default search experience.
- Google VP Rajan Patel publicly denied plans to make AI Mode the default search.
- The flag was for exploration purposes only, according to a Chromium commit description.
Rumors circulated that Google Chrome might be preparing to make its AI Mode the default search experience when users type queries into the address bar. This speculation arose from a new flag discovered in Chrome Canary, a version of the browser used for testing experimental features. A description associated with the Chromium commit indicated that this change was for exploration purposes and that there were no current plans to implement it as a live feature. Google has previously tested AI Overviews and AI Mode, leading to similar speculation. However, Google VP Rajan Patel has since publicly addressed these rumors, stating that the company has no plans to make AI Mode the default search experience in Chrome.