Google announced on Thursday that AI Mode — its conversational search experience — can now link with certain third‑party apps so users can interact with those services directly inside AI Mode. At launch, supported apps include Instacart, Canva and YouTube.
With this update, Google is extending AI Mode’s role from answering questions to performing tasks within apps people use every day. The company is likely aiming for users to rely more on AI Mode for activities such as planning and shopping, while also closing the gap with competitors: OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude both already support app integrations.
Google gave practical examples of how the integrations work. If you are planning a barbecue and build a grocery list in AI Mode, you can connect your Instacart account so the ingredients are added directly to your Instacart cart and checked out via the Instacart app or website. For design work, you can ask Canva through AI Mode to show a selection of templates for a flyer. And if you want a party playlist, AI Mode can curate one and instantly save it to YouTube Music.
The rollout is currently limited to users in the United States; Google said it is working with a range of partners and plans to add support for more apps over time.
This announcement builds on a capability Google introduced earlier this year at Google I/O that lets users connect third‑party apps to the Gemini app to complete tasks faster. At that time, supported apps included Canva, OpenTable, Spark, Instacart and others.
Since its launch in early 2025, Google has been progressively adding features to AI Mode. Recent additions include the ability to check whether an item you need is in stock at a nearby store, and a split experience that lets users explore the web side‑by‑side with AI Mode to compare details and ask follow‑up questions while preserving search context.
Earlier this year, Google also introduced “Personal Intelligence” in AI Mode, which allows the service to tap into users’ Gmail and Google Photos to provide more personalized responses.
Why this matters
By enabling direct app integrations, AI Mode is becoming not just an information source but a tool for completing everyday tasks — from shopping to design to music curation. The change could affect how users choose search and assistant services and helps strengthen Google’s position in the competitive field of AI‑driven products.
