TL;DR Summary:
New Homepage Buttons: Google is testing three buttons under the desktop search box, labeled “create images,” “ask about files,” and “brainstorm,” and each one opens AI Mode instead of a normal results page. Same Search Box: Google says the core search box still works the same way, so typing a query and pressing enter has not changed. Bigger AI Push: The test does not add new features, but it makes existing AI tools more visible on Google’s most visited page, which points to a stronger push toward AI Mode as a default entry point.What are the new buttons on Google’s home page? Google confirmed it is testing new buttons directly under the search box on desktop, and the change points to where the company wants search to go next. The Google AI Mode Home Page Buttons test adds three options that send you straight into AI Mode, and it matters now because it changes how you might start a search on Google’s most visited page.
What the Google AI Mode Home Page Buttons Actually Do
Barry Schwartz, who covers search at Search Engine Roundtable, first spotted the test and reported it on August 10, 2026. The buttons read “create images,” “ask about files,” and “brainstorm.” When you click any of them, Google sends you into AI Mode instead of a standard results page. Google’s VP of Product, Robby Stein, confirmed the test on X, calling it “a small test on desktop to help people find new things they can do with Search.”
Why Google Added These Buttons Now
All three functions already exist. You can find “create images,” “ask about files,” and “brainstorm” under the “+” icon next to the search box. The Google AI Mode Home Page Buttons test does not add new features. It moves existing ones into a spot you see the moment you land on the page. Stein’s comment suggests Google thinks most people never open that “+” menu, so visibility, not new capability, drives this test. As Google pushes more searches into AI Mode by default, tracking and improving how your site appears in these AI-generated answers becomes just as important as tracking where you rank in traditional results, which is exactly the kind of visibility gap that a platform like SnowSEO is built to help you close.
What Stays the Same With Your Search Box
Stein was direct about this point. He wrote that there is “no impact to how the core search box works” and that you still type your question and hit enter as usual. He noted that’s how most people search anyway. So the regular search box keeps working exactly as it did before. The Google AI Mode Home Page Buttons sit below it as an extra option, not a replacement.
How Widely Google Has Rolled This Out
Google has not said how many users see this test or for how long it will run. Schwartz said he can reproduce it on his own desktop, which confirms it is live for at least some users. Google has not confirmed a timeline for wider release, and any claim about a full rollout would be unconfirmed at this stage. If Google does expand the Google AI Mode Home Page Buttons beyond this limited test, it would likely change how a large share of users first reach AI Mode from the homepage rather than through the search box or the “+” menu.
What This Means for How You Use Search
If you land on Google’s home page during this test, you will see three extra buttons you did not see before. Clicking one takes you into AI Mode rather than a normal search. If you prefer typing a question and pressing enter, nothing changes for you. Schwartz mentioned that after ignoring the old “I’m Feeling Lucky” button for 20 years, he may end up ignoring these new buttons too, which shows plenty of users will likely stick with old habits regardless of what Google adds.
Watch your own Google home page over the next few weeks to see if these buttons appear for you. If Google expands the test, expect AI Mode to become a more visible default entry point rather than a hidden option. Keep using the search box as you always have if you prefer it, since Google confirmed that path still works the same way. As Google leans harder into AI Mode as a default entry point, tools like SnowSEO can help you monitor how your site shows up not just in classic search results but in the AI-generated answers this shift is pushing more users toward.
