.svg)
Get a Demo
Interested in trying Goodie? fill out this form and we'll be in touch with you.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
.svg)
.svg)
Google announced in December 2024 that it’s transforming the search experience with Project Astra, Project Mariner, and AI Mode. We’ll explore how Google's agentic AI strategy reshapes search, what these changes mean for visibility, and how we can adapt to this new AI landscape.
Google is moving from being a provider of links to a comprehensive AI assistant. The company’s new direction changes how people interact with Google and find information online.
Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, emphasized that AI applications like Gemini will increasingly replace the traditional search box as the primary interface for interacting with Google. As Google’s features move toward an AI focus, there will be a strategic shift toward more conversational search experiences.
At Google I/O 2025, Pichai revealed dramatic adoption metrics: AI usage across Google's products has increased 50x from 9.7 trillion tokens per month in April 2024 to over 480 trillion tokens in April 2025. The Gemini app now has over 400 million monthly active users, with 45% increased usage for those using Gemini 2.5 Pro.
The integration of the Gemini 2.5 model and agentic AI systems like Project Astra and Project Mariner demonstrates Google's commitment to creating a cohesive ecosystem of AI technologies that enhance user interactions. With this comprehensive approach, Google puts its extensive data and AI tools to work and offers users more tailored and meaningful search results.
Google's strategic vision involves the development of complementary AI technologies that enhance the search experience.
These technologies are designed to work together, creating a seamless experience that transcends traditional search. For example, Google integrated Project Astra into the Gemini app ecosystem, marking a step toward public rollout and indicating Google's commitment to bringing these advanced capabilities to everyday users.
Project Astra serves as a universal AI assistant capable of multimodal interaction, including voice and visual inputs. These capabilities allow users to interact with the system using their preferred input method.
The system's visual interaction capabilities enable users to point their phone cameras or use prototype glasses for immersive assistance. Because Astra can visually interpret what users see, it opens up new ways to understand context and provide information based on what’s actually in view.
.png)
Google is rolling out Astra features to Gemini users. Throughout April 2025, for example, Gemini users on Android got access to Gemini Live and screen sharing. The rollout is gradual and includes specific instructions for how to use Astra.
Features like live video and screen sharing have been integrated into Gemini Live, with plans for broader accessibility through Google One AI Premium plans. These capabilities enhance the system's ability to understand and respond to visual information, creating more immersive and helpful interactions.
Astra allows users to switch between Android phones and prototype glasses without losing context and without interrupting their conversations or tasks.
Astra remembers key details from past interactions (up to 10 minutes per session), enabling more coherent and contextually relevant assistance over time. By making experiences more personal, enhanced memory still gives users control over their privacy.
Project Mariner focuses on autonomous web navigation, allowing users to delegate complex web tasks to AI. Google is moving toward AI that can navigate websites independently, handling complex online tasks so users don’t have to. Mariner operates through a Chrome extension that can automate web tasks like creating carts or finding flights.
Built with Gemini 2.0, Mariner can interpret complex instructions and break them into actionable steps while providing visual feedback. It can recognize users’ intentions and independently navigate through websites to accomplish their goals.
Mariner is deeply integrated into the Google ecosystem, particularly within Chrome, enhancing its functionality while maintaining safety protocols against malicious instructions. Mariner works within Google’s established security framework and infrastructure.
The system is designed to work seamlessly with other Google services, creating a cohesive experience across the Google ecosystem. By connecting these systems, users get more helpful interactions backed by Google's extensive knowledge and technology.
Early testing shows Mariner can take control of web browsers via a Chrome extension to execute tasks autonomously. We’re moving closer to AI tools that can navigate the AI space and complete tasks for us without constant supervision.
Google's AI Mode introduces "Deep Research," a capability that synthesizes comprehensive answers by analyzing complex topics across multiple sources. Search results are now created and shown in fundamentally improved ways.
Deep Research goes beyond traditional search snippets by integrating information from various authoritative sources to create a more complete and nuanced understanding of complex topics. Many questions need multiple viewpoints rather than simple answers and this strategy acknowledges that reality.
The synthesis process involves identifying relevant information from diverse sources by evaluating its reliability before integrating it into a coherent response. The system works much like a human would when researching complex topics.
Gemini 2.0's long-context understanding enables Deep Research to preserve context throughout complex research tasks. Even when handling nuanced subjects requiring multiple information sources, the system maintains clear and relevant responses.
The multi-source intelligence approach ensures that answers are not biased toward a single perspective or source of information. By integrating insights from various authoritative sources, Deep Research can provide more balanced and comprehensive answers.
Unlike traditional search that makes users piece together various results, Deep Research handles much of this mental work, giving users useful information right away.
Deep Research offers personalized insights by remembering user preferences and previous interactions. By adjusting responses to match each user’s needs and interests, searches become more relevant and helpful. Privacy remains protected throughout the personalization process. Users get tailored information without compromising their personal data or security.
Optimizing for AI agents requires specific focus areas to help content be accurately indexed and surfaced for relevant questions. There are a number of key factors to address:
With AI Mode's query fan-out technique and Deep Search capabilities, content optimization strategies need to account for how AI systems break down complex queries into subtopics. Content should focus on comprehensive coverage of related subtopics within their main content to increase chances of being included in AI-generated responses
Content structure plays a crucial role in how AI systems interpret and prioritize information. Clear, well-organized content with explicit sections and headings makes it easier for AI systems to understand and surface relevant information.
Authority signals remain important for AI ranking, but the specific signals differ from traditional SEO. AI systems place greater emphasis on accuracy and contextual relevance rather than traditional ranking factors like backlinks.
AI Mode's integration with Google's Knowledge Graph and real-time data sources means that structured data and entity markup have become even more important for content discovery. The system's ability to cross-reference information across multiple sources also emphasizes the importance of factual accuracy and proper citations.
To maintain visibility as AI transforms search, understanding these new ranking factors is crucial. Content creators who adapt their strategies to align with these factors will be better positioned to maintain or improve their visibility as AI becomes more central to search.
As Google's AI agents like Astra and Mariner become more prominent, new optimization strategies are emerging to ensure content visibility within these systems. Goodie’s Optimization Hub consolidates ways to improve earned and owned content to increase the likelihood that it will be cited on AI platforms.
With AI Mode now widely available and the introduction of Deep Search capabilities, optimization strategies must account for the system's ability to conduct hundreds of parallel searches and synthesize information across multiple sources. Content creators should focus on creating comprehensive, well-cited content that can serve as authoritative sources for AI-generated reports.
These new optimization strategies represent both a challenge and an opportunity for marketers and SEO professionals. While the rules of visibility are changing, those who understand and adapt to these changes can gain an advantage in AI search.
Agentic AI, AI systems that can act autonomously on behalf of users, stands at the center of Google's strategy for transforming search into a more interactive and conversational experience. This represents a fundamental change from simply presenting information to helping complete tasks.
Google's announcements about Project Astra and Project Mariner demonstrate the company's commitment to agentic AI as a cornerstone of its future strategy. These developments signal Google's vision of search as not just about finding information, but about using that information to accomplish goals.
The introduction of agentic checkout, autonomous research capabilities, and task completion features through Project Mariner integration shows Google's aggressive push toward making search an action-oriented platform rather than just an information discovery tool.
Project Astra is a key development in generative AI applications that redefine traditional search functionalities. The ability of these systems to interact through speech or visual inputs positions them as transformative tools for daily workflows.
.png)
Google's AI Mode strategy represents a direct response to competitive threats from AI-native search platforms:
Google's transformation from a traditional search engine to an AI assistant changes how we access information online. Through projects like Astra and Mariner, Google is redefining the search experience to prioritize proactive assistance.
The official rollout of AI Mode to all U.S. users marks a turning point in search behavior. With AI features driving significant increases in search usage and fundamentally changing query patterns, businesses and content creators must adapt their strategies for this new reality.
Understanding these changes is essential for maintaining visibility and relevance in AI search. While the specific strategies for optimization may evolve, the fundamental goal remains the same: creating high-quality, relevant content that addresses user needs effectively.
As AI Mode expands internationally and develops additional capabilities, the impact on information access patterns could prove as fundamental as the original PageRank algorithm that established Google's search dominance. Organizations should prepare for continued evolution in search behavior and optimization requirements.
Check out Goodie’s AI Visibility Assessment to learn more about your brand’s visibility in comparison to your competitors and get a sneak peek into the platform’s optimization recommendations.
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
