How to Use Google’s New AI Agents for Beyond-Standard Searches
At the Google I/O 2026 keynote, the tech giant unveiled new agency capabilities in Search. Users can now create, customize, and manage multiple AI agents to stay updated on topics of interest. This announcement is part of Google’s broader push towards agentic AI systems that can take initiative and assist with ongoing tasks rather than answering questions one at a time.
Unlike traditional search tools that respond only when prompted, the new information agents are designed to operate continuously in the background, 24/7. They help users stay informed about their interests without needing to repeatedly search for the same information every day.
The agents can synthesize information from multiple sources, explain why something matters, compare perspectives, and provide actionable insights. In many ways, these agents represent a significant evolution of Google Alerts, which was launched in 2003 as a notification service. However, they are designed to go beyond simple notifications.
Example Use Cases
- Stock Market Tracking: Users can create an information agent focused on specific companies, share prices, or economic trends. The agent monitors market activity throughout the day, tracks breaking news, summarizes earnings reports, and alerts users when major changes occur.
- Daily Tasks: For instance, someone tracking flight prices for upcoming trips, monitoring sports teams and live events, following breaking news, keeping tabs on housing or job market trends, and tracking weather or traffic can benefit from these agents.
To use the feature, users need to open AI Mode in Search and enter a prompt. For example: “Keep me updated on nearby movie tickets for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu.’” When something relevant appears, the Google app sends a push notification. Users can also manage their active tracked topics within their AI Mode history.
Information agents will be available this summer. The company is initially rolling them out to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S., then expanding to additional markets later on.
Additional News from Google I/O 2026
- Google Search as you know it is over: The new interface aims to support longer, more conversational queries. There’s also a new AI-powered query suggestion system that helps users craft nuanced and context-aware searches.
- Google updates Gemini app: This includes adding Gmail integration to its 24/7 agent assistant, known as Gemini Spark.
Key Takeaways
- The new information agents are designed for continuous operation and provide actionable insights about user interests.
- Information agents can be used for tracking stock market trends, flight prices, sports events, breaking news, and more.
- The rollout of these features will begin with Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S., then expand to additional markets later.
Originally published at techcrunch.com. Curated by AI Maestro.
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