Google Tests Pinnable AI Mode Toolbar Button in Chrome

Google is testing a new way to access AI Mode in Chrome. The company has designed a pinnable toolbar button that opens AI Mode in a side panel, keeping users on their current webpage. The feature is currently available in Chrome Canary on desktop and mobile.

You can now access AI Mode right from Chrome’s toolbar

AI Mode is now an integral part of Google’s search experience. It lets you ask questions in a conversational way and get AI-generated answers. Google has already put shortcuts to AI Mode through Chrome’s address bar and the New Tab page. Now, the company wants to make the feature more visible inside the browser.

In the Chrome toolbar, you can add the AI Mode shortcut. When you click it, the AI search interface opens in a side panel alongside the current webpage. This lets you interact with AI while continuing to view the page you are reading. However, as of now, the feature is being tested behind a flag for Chrome on Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, and Android.

The flag in question is called “Contextual Tasks Pin Button In Toolbar.” To experience the feature, open Chrome Canary and head over to chrome://flags. Once you enable the flag, tap on the Customize button on the New Tab page. Now scroll to the Toolbar section, and turn on the “Google Search AI Mode” option.

Now the AI Mode icon will show up in the toolbar so you can quickly access AI assistance without leaving your current page. Note that Google is also experimenting with the feature’s name. In some cases, it appears as “Google Search AI Mode,” while in others it displays as “Browse with AI.” It will be interesting to see which name the company finally picks if the feature makes its way to the stable version of Chrome.