Google has introduced multimodal search capabilities to its experimental Google Search feature, AI Mode. This upgrade allows users to ask complex, multi-part questions and follow-up queries to delve deeper into a topic. With this update, users who have access to AI Mode can now utilize the feature to ask questions about images they have uploaded or captured using their camera.

According to Google, the new image analysis functionality in AI Mode is powered by the multimodal capabilities of Google Lens, as announced in a blog post on Monday.

AI Mode has the ability to comprehend the entire scene in an image, including the relationships between objects, as well as their materials, colors, shapes, and arrangement. By employing a technique called “query fan-out,” AI Mode poses multiple questions about both the image and the objects it contains, providing more detailed information than a traditional Google search.

For instance, if you take a photo of your bookshelf and enter the query: “If I enjoyed these books, what are some similar, highly-rated books?” AI Mode will identify each book and provide a list of recommended books with links to learn more about them or make a purchase.

Additionally, AI Mode allows users to ask follow-up questions to refine their search results. For example, you could ask: “I’m looking for a quick read; which of these recommended books is the shortest?”

As part of Monday’s announcement, Google stated that it is expanding access to AI Mode to millions of users enrolled in Labs, the company’s platform for experimental features and products. Previously, AI Mode was only available to Google One AI Premium subscribers.

Launched last month, AI Mode aims to compete with popular services like Perplexity and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search. Google has expressed plans to continue refining the user experience and expanding the feature’s functionality.