The Era of "Talking" Google Search Begins: AI Voice Chat Feature "Search Live" Begins Public Testing in the U.S.

Introduction

"Entering keywords into a search box"—the user experience of search that hasn't changed for decades is finally about to be transformed by voice and conversation. On June 18, 2025 (U.S. time), Google began public testing of a new feature called "Search Live" for Google Labs participants in AI Mode. A voice chatbot based on Gemini engages in natural dialogue with users, displaying related links on the screen. It is available on both Android and iOS without any additional charges. This article explores the details, challenges, and prospects, including the moves of competitors and the impact on the Japanese market.theverge.com

1. What is Search Live?

Search Live is a voice-interactive interface integrated into "AI Mode." The traditional Google voice search would read out questions, but the answers would be returned in text. With the new feature, AI responds in a voice close to that of a human, allowing users to delve deeper into information through additional questions and rephrasing. Furthermore, users can jump to primary sources via web links displayed below the answers, reducing concerns about "black box answers."heise.de

2. Technical Background—Optimization of Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite

Google explains that the service is based on a fast and lightweight model called Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite, using a custom version of Gemini that directly integrates with the search index. Gemini 2.5 supports multiple modalities (text, image, voice) and is designed with a focus on inference speed. Proprietary on-device acoustic models are also used for voice recognition, keeping latency below 300ms and providing an experience that doesn't feel interrupted by conversational "pauses."blog.google

3. Differences from Traditional Voice Assistants

• Real-time Interactivity
  While the traditional Google Assistant focused on preset commands, Search Live excels in context retention and follow-up questions, with relaxed length restrictions.
  
  

• Direct Connection to Search Results
  It lists source links simultaneously with the answers, making fact-checking easy.
  
  

• Continued Multitasking
  Conversations are maintained in the background, allowing interaction to continue even when switching to other apps.
  
  

• Planned Expansion of Visual Input
  A feature where AI explains objects captured by the camera is planned to be implemented soon.theverge.com
  
  

4. Competitive Trends: OpenAI, Anthropic, Apple

In 2024, OpenAI introduced Voice Mode to ChatGPT and expanded multilingual support in early 2025. Anthropic also beta-released voice interaction with Claude 3. Apple announced at WWDC 2025 a rumored "Cognos" upgrade for Siri, integrating natural dialogue and on-device LLM.Such movements suggest the arrival of a "post-keyword era" where search and voice UI evolve simultaneously. theverge.com

5. User Experience: Specific Use Cases

6. Privacy and Ethical Issues

Since voice data is sent to the cloud and conversation history is stored, it is essential to comply with GDPR and Japan's Personal Information Protection Law. Google explains that "data is not used for ad targeting," but there are still many unresolved issues such as the risk of misinformation spreading and accidental collection of third-party voices. The undecided launch date in Europe also highlights the difficulty of regulatory compliance.heise.de

7. Impact on the Japanese Market

• Redesign of Search Advertising Model: As voice responses become central, traditional link-click-based ads may see a decrease in CTR.

• Improvement of UX for the Elderly and Visually Impaired: Benefits for those who find keyboard operation difficult.

• Demarcation with the Broadcasting Industry: Obtaining news and commentary via voice competes with podcasts and radio.

• Corporate SEO Strategy: FAQ formats and conversational content become increasingly important, making "Voice SEO" essential.
  
  
  

Due to reasons such as the accuracy of Japanese models, dialect support, and store reviews, the official launch is expected to be no earlier than 2026, but the company states it is "optimizing with global expansion in mind."

Conclusion

Search Live is the first step in transforming the 20th-century paradigm of "search = typing/reading" into "speaking/listening."With Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite at its core, the fast, bidirectional, multimodal voice search naturally integrates "conversation" into everyday information exploration.

As the era of voice-first UX and business model reconstruction begins, including among competitors, our very approach to engaging with information is being questioned.

Reference Articles List

1. Heise Online "Google erlaubt sprachliche Unterhaltung mit KI-Chatbot in der Live-Suche" (June 18, 2025) heise.de

2. Google Blog "Search Live: Talk, listen and explore in real time with AI Mode" (June 18, 2025) blog.google

3. The Verge "Google tests real-time AI voice chats in Search" (June 18, 2025) theverge.com

Reference Articles