Google has added an AI agent to its AI Mode for Search, but for now it performs a single task: helping users find restaurant reservations, and it’s only available to those on the $250-per-month AI Ultra plan in the United States. According to The Register, the agent can surface real-time availability and link users directly to booking pages, leaving the final steps to them.
Agent arrives with narrow scope and paywall
AI Mode, which turns Google’s search page into a Gemini-powered chat that summarizes results, was introduced as an opt-in preview in March and expanded as an option for general users in May. The new agent capability sits within that experience, digesting reservation-related requests and guiding users to make a booking.
Google said it has worked with partners including OpenTable, Resy, and Tock to integrate restaurant information. The company also outlined future agentic abilities—local service appointments and event tickets—with partners such as Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, and Booksy, though no release timing was provided.
Access to the agent is restricted to AI Ultra subscribers, which Google positions as an upper tier that also includes perks over the $20/month AI Pro plan, like a bundled YouTube Premium subscription, additional Google Drive storage, and priority access to its most capable Gemini models. The Register links that exclusivity to Project Mariner, a Gemini 2.0 system that uses Chrome to perform tasks autonomously, with Mariner-powered agents limited to Ultra users.
Personalized AI Mode, but not the agent
Separately, AI Mode itself is gaining deeper personalization for those who opt in. Google said AI Mode can take into account prior AI conversations, searches, and selected links in Search or Maps to infer preferences such as food types or indoor versus outdoor seating. If a user indicates they only have an hour for a quick meal, AI Mode will factor that in as well.
What the agent does—and doesn’t
A Google spokesperson told The Register that these customization features do not apply to the new AI agent, which currently lacks personalization. As a result, the agent can bring users to the booking stage but will not incorporate individual preferences learned by AI Mode. The agent, personalization, and sharing features are only available in the United States.
Google also announced that AI Mode for Search has expanded to more than 180 countries, though it is only available in English. A new sharing option lets users hand off an AI Mode conversation to anyone via a link.
