Politics

Google replaces magnifying glass with plus sign, signalling shift to AI-driven search experiences

Tuesday, 16 December 2025 9:13AM UTC

Google has replaced its traditional search icon with a plus sign, reflecting a broader overhaul of its flagship product to integrate AI features such as image analysis, conversational search, and generative summaries, marking a significant shift from conventional search methods.

Google has quietly replaced its familiar magnifying-glass search icon with a simple "+" on the Search homepage, a visual signal of a broader shift to AI-centred experiences that alters both the look and the functionality of its flagship product. According to the original report, the new "+" serves as an access point for uploading images and documents and for invoking "AI mode" features that feed content into generative search workflows. ^[1]

The change is more than cosmetic: Google is integrating tools that let users supply images and files to the engine for analysis and conversational follow-up, a move the company says will enable richer, context-aware answers rather than a list of isolated links. Industry reporting notes this is part of a deliberate pivot away from the traditional "10 blue links" model toward AI-generated summaries and guided interactions. ^[1]^[2]

That pivot was formalised earlier in 2025 with the introduction of an experimental AI-only search option available to subscribers of Google One's AI Premium tier, where "AI Mode" replaces standard result pages with comprehensive, Gemini-powered summaries that include cited hyperlinks and a follow-up search bar. According to the original report, the paid feature was designed to handle complex queries with enhanced reasoning and to surface source links within the AI response. ^[2]

Google has continued to iterate: product updates announced by the company describe visual exploration in AI Mode, conversational refinement of queries, and an expanded Shopping Graph that surfaces product details, reviews and deals from merchants worldwide. According to the announcement, AI Mode increasingly understands images and natural language together, enabling features such as visual results and more natural follow‑up questioning. ^[4]

The rollout of the "+" and related AI experiences sits alongside other Google moves to weave generative AI across its ecosystem. The company has brought Gemini-style assistance into Chrome and other apps and refreshed brand assets to reflect an AI era, changes that reinforce a strategy of embedding assistant features directly into everyday tools. Google’s messaging frames these as enhancements that preserve Search’s underlying simplicity while adding new ways to interact with content. ^[6]^[3]

Competitors are responding with similar integrations: Microsoft has introduced an Edge "Copilot Mode" that centralises chat, search and navigation in a single input and provides visual indicators and permission controls when the AI accesses browsing content. The parallel developments show a broader industry trend of turning browsers and search into active assistants rather than passive indexes. ^[5]

Critics and some privacy advocates have cautioned about the trade-offs inherent in these changes, particularly around how user-supplied content is stored, cited and used to train models; Google’s product materials emphasise user control and cited sources but industry observers say transparency and governance will be central to user trust as the features expand. According to reporting, Google's AI Mode is already available widely in the United States and the company continues to test wider deployment and new capabilities such as video-based search and automated transactions. ^[7]^[1]^[4]

As the plus sign replaces a decades-old metaphor for search, the symbol serves as a succinct summary of the product's new purpose: not just finding information, but actively interpreting, combining and conversing with it on the user's behalf. The company claims this will produce deeper, more actionable results; independent reporting and prior experiments suggest the feature set will evolve rapidly as Google balances utility, accuracy and user expectations. ^[1]^[2]^[4]

📌 Reference Map:

##Reference Map:

^[1] (TechTimes) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 8
^[2] (Reuters) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 8
^[4] (Google Blog) - Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7, Paragraph 8
^[6] (TechRadar) - Paragraph 5
^[3] (Android Central) - Paragraph 5
^[5] (Reuters) - Paragraph 6
^[7] (AP News) - Paragraph 7

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/313404/20251216/google-search-ditches-magnifying-glass-ai-plus-symbol.htm - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/google-tests-an-ai-only-version-its-search-engine-2025-03-05/ - In March 2025, Google launched an experimental AI-only version of its search engine, replacing traditional '10 blue links' with comprehensive AI-generated summaries. This feature, available to subscribers of the $19.99/month Google One AI Premium plan, can be accessed by selecting 'AI Mode' on the search results page. The new AI Mode offers advanced summaries powered by Google's custom Gemini 2.0 model, designed to better handle complex queries with enhanced reasoning. These AI summaries include hyperlinks to cited sources and a follow-up search bar in place of traditional links.
https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/google-redesigns-its-g-logo-to-signal-the-ai-era-is-here - In October 2025, Google updated its iconic 'G' logo for the first time in over a decade, introducing a smooth gradient blend of its traditional red, yellow, green, and blue colours. This redesign aligns with Google's growing emphasis on artificial intelligence, visually matching the branding seen in its AI services like Gemini. The new logo enhances visual harmony and clarity at smaller sizes, such as favicons and app icons, by reducing harsh edges. The change debuted on the iOS Google app and Pixel phones, and is now rolling out to the Android app (version 16.18).
https://blog.google/products/search/search-ai-updates-september-2025/ - In September 2025, Google introduced an entirely new way to explore visually in AI Mode in Search, making it easier to find what you're looking for. Users can now ask questions conversationally, and AI Mode will show visual results, allowing for natural refinement of searches. The Shopping Graph shows products from stores worldwide, with details like reviews and deals. AI Mode uses advanced technology to understand images and questions, providing relevant results. This update aims to enhance the search experience by integrating AI more deeply into the process.
https://www.reuters.com/business/microsoft-launches-ai-based-copilot-mode-edge-browser-2025-07-28/ - In July 2025, Microsoft introduced a new AI-powered 'Copilot Mode' in its Edge browser to enhance user browsing experiences. This feature allows users to perform tasks, organise browsing through topic-based queries, and compare information across open tabs without navigating between them. Copilot integrates a single input box for chat, search, and web navigation, and supports voice commands. Microsoft emphasises user control, stating Copilot only accesses browsing content with user permission and provides visual indicators when active. The AI feature will be available for free on Windows and Mac PCs for a limited time, with an opt-out option available in Edge settings.
https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/gemini/gemini-is-coming-to-chrome-on-desktop-starting-today-for-pro-and-ultra-users-in-the-u-s - In October 2025, Google launched Gemini, its AI assistant, in Chrome for Pro and Ultra users in the U.S., beginning September 19, 2025. Initially compatible with desktops running Mac or Windows with the language set to English, Gemini is integrated directly into the browser to enhance users' web experience. It can navigate, summarise, organise tabs, provide cross-tab insights, and interact with content across Google apps like Maps, Calendar, and YouTube without switching tabs. Gemini represents a major redesign for Chrome, transforming the browser from a passive tool into an intelligent assistant.
https://apnews.com/article/5b0cdc59870508dab856227185cb8e23 - In June 2025, Google launched a new 'AI mode' in its search engine, transforming how users access information by enabling expert-like conversational interactions. Announced at its 2025 developer conference, the feature follows a short testing phase and is now widely available in the U.S. Integrated with Google's Gemini 2.5 AI model, the mode will soon offer features like video-based search and automatic ticket buying. This expansion continues a shift that began the previous year with AI-generated summaries, now used by 1.5 billion people.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being December 15, 2025. The '+' symbol replacing the magnifying glass in Google Search was reported by 9to5Google on the same date. ([9to5google.com](https://9to5google.com/2025/12/15/google-search-plus-menu/?utm_source=openai)) The TechTimes article provides additional context but does not introduce new information. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative is not based on a press release, and there is no evidence of recycled content. The '+' symbol is a new feature, indicating a high freshness score.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: No direct quotes are present in the narrative, so this check is not applicable.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from TechTimes, a source with a mixed reputation. While it is not a major news outlet, it is not entirely obscure. The information aligns with reports from more reputable sources like 9to5Google, which adds credibility. ([9to5google.com](https://9to5google.com/2025/12/15/google-search-plus-menu/?utm_source=openai))

Plausability check

Score: 9

Notes: The claim that Google has replaced the magnifying glass with a '+' symbol in Search is plausible and corroborated by other reputable sources. The '+' symbol serves as an access point for uploading images and documents and invoking 'AI mode' features, aligning with Google's recent AI integrations. ([blog.google](https://blog.google/products/search/search-ai-updates-september-2025/?utm_source=openai)) The narrative lacks specific factual anchors like names, institutions, or dates, but this is understandable given the nature of the update. The language and tone are consistent with typical corporate communications, and there is no excessive or off-topic detail.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is fresh and corroborated by other reputable sources, with no significant credibility risks identified. The '+' symbol replacing the magnifying glass in Google Search is a plausible and verifiable claim, indicating a PASS assessment with high confidence.

Artificial Intelligence
Search Engines
Google
Tech Industry