3 ways Google's AI Mode is going to change how you shop online

Online shopping has never been perfect. If I’m online scouting for a good deal on a pair of shoes, I have to sort through several options, sizes, colors, and price points to find what I want. That takes time. And if I want to buy the shoes at a discount, I have to wait several weeks or months and come back when the price drops.

Also: Everything announced at Google I/O 2025: Gemini, Search, Android XR, and more

At Google’s annual developer event, Google IO, the tech giant is debuting an AI-powered solution to online shoppers’ problems in the form of AI Mode. AI Mode offers online shoppers several options for finding exactly what they want, virtually trying on the clothing before they buy, and tracking prices to buy when a product is at its lowest.

AI Mode will fundamentally shake up how people search for products and shop online. Here’s how.

1. Google’s Shopping Graph gets a major upgrade

Gemini combines forces with Google’s Shopping Graph, now with more than 50 billion product listings sourced from big-name brands and indie shops to elevate your browsing and shopping experience. Two billion listings are refreshed every hour to keep the results relevant and updated, so shoppers will get current pricing, the most recent discounts, and availability.

Also: 8 best AI features and tools revealed at Google I/O 2025

When a shopper searches for a product, they type what they’re looking for and the occasion they’ll be using the product for, and Google scouts options that fit those descriptors. In a press release, Google provides the example of a “cute travel bag” for a Portland, Oregon, vacation. AI Mode initiates a “query fan-out” to run several simultaneous searches and investigate a travel bag with pockets that meets the conditions or fits underneath an airplane seat. Additionally, a panel will update with new brands and options as you search.

US users can expect AI Mode for shopping to roll out in the coming months.

2. Google will price-track – and purchase – your products for you

Set the size, color, and desired price point on a product, and keep an eye on its price with Google’s new price-tracking feature. Once you’ve set up price-tracking on a product, Google will send you price-drop notifications to buy when the product is discounted. Additionally, Google will add the product to your cart and securely check out with Google Pay once the price drops to your desired range.

Also: Google’s new AI tool can track products and buy for you when the price drops

Like AI Mode, this feature will also roll out in the coming months.

3. Try on clothing in Google’s virtual fitting room

Don’t know how that bright yellow pencil skirt will look on you once it arrives in the mail? You can now try it on virtually with Google’s new virtual try-on technology that’s powered by a custom image generation model made for fashion that accounts for body type, fabrics, and the overall nuances of clothing. Upload a photo of yourself and start trying on clothing from Google’s Shopping Graph, and if you need a second opinion, you can share the photos with friends.

The try-on tech is available today in Search Labs in the US.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.