Gemini 3 now used for some queries in AI Mode

Google now uses Gemini 3 to power some responses in AI Mode. We expected this after last week’s Gemini 3 announcement, and the rollout is now live for some searchers in Google Search.

Nick Fox, Google’s SVP of Knowledge and Information, wrote on X:

• “The rollout of Gemini 3 in Search continues! We’ve just shipped intelligent automatic model routing to Gemini 3 Pro for your toughest questions in AI Mode.”

Note, in a previous post, Fox said this was for both AI Overviews and AI Mode but updated his post to remove AI Overviews. It said:

• “The rollout of Gemini 3 in Search continues! We’ve just shipped intelligent automatic model routing to Gemini 3 Pro for your toughest questions in AI Overviews and AI Mode.”

Who sees it. This is available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S. You’ll know you have access if you see it as an option in the caret menu within the AI Mode tab:

Google announced this. From a Nov. 18 blog post by Google’s Head of Search Liz Reid (Google Search with Gemini 3: Our most intelligent search yet):

• “And in the coming weeks, we’re also enhancing our automatic model selection in Search with Gemini 3. This means Search will intelligently route your most challenging questions in AI Mode and AI Overviews to this frontier model.”

Gemini 3. Google introduced Gemini 3 on Nov. 18, when CEO Sundar Pichai said:

• “And now we’re introducing Gemini 3, our most intelligent model, that combines all of Gemini’s capabilities together so you can bring any idea to life.”

Why we care. Some U.S. subscribers to AI Pro and Ultra may notice more visual, detailed results in AI Mode. If your responses look different – richer or more image-heavy – it may be because AI Mode and AI Overviews are now running on Gemini 3. Over time, all AI responses will use Gemini 3 until Google ships the next Gemini update and rolls it into Search.