Google brings app connections to AI Mode in the U.S.

Google said Thursday that users in the U.S. can connect select apps inside AI Mode, its conversational search experience. The update pushes Google’s AI tool beyond answering questions and toward helping users take action in services they already use, a key battleground as AI assistants compete to become the starting point for shopping, planning and creative work.

At launch, Google said AI Mode supports Instacart, Canva and YouTube. App integration means a user can link an account or call on a supported service from inside the AI interface, rather than switching immediately to that app to start the task from scratch.

Google gave a grocery-shopping example: a user planning a barbecue could ask AI Mode to help build a shopping list, connect an Instacart account, add ingredients to an Instacart cart and then finish checkout through Instacart’s app or website.

The company also said users can ask Canva for design options, such as templates for a flyer. For music, Google said AI Mode can help create a playlist for an event and save it to YouTube Music.

Why Google is adding apps to AI Mode

The feature changes the role of AI Mode from a place to ask follow-up questions into a place where tasks can begin. For everyday users, the practical difference is that a planning session can turn into a cart, a design project or a playlist without restarting the process in a separate app.

For Google, the change also puts AI Mode closer to products from other AI companies that already connect with outside services. TechCrunch reported that OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude both support app integrations.

Google said the U.S. rollout is starting with the initial partners and that it is working with a range of companies to add more app support. The company did not give a full list of future apps or a timeline for broader availability beyond the U.S. rollout described in its announcement.

Part of a wider AI push

The AI Mode update follows other efforts by Google to connect AI products with personal data and outside services. Earlier this year at Google I/O, Google introduced a capability for the Gemini app that lets users connect third-party apps to complete tasks more quickly. Google said supported services for that Gemini feature include Canva, OpenTable, Spark and Instacart, among others.

Google has also been adding features to AI Mode since its early 2025 launch. The company previously said AI Mode can help users check whether an item is available at a nearby store. Google also added a way to browse the web side by side with AI Mode, so users can compare information and ask follow-up questions while keeping the context of a search.

Another earlier feature, called Personal Intelligence by Google, lets AI Mode draw on a user’s Gmail and Google Photos to give more tailored responses, according to the company. Together, the updates show Google trying to make AI Mode less like a standalone search box and more like a connected layer across search, personal information and apps.

This story draws on original reporting from TechCrunch.