Google Experiments with Replacing Iconic ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ Button with AI Mode

In a digital shift that may signal the future of search, tech giant Google is experimenting with replacing its iconic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button with a cutting-edge feature known as AI Mode. The feature, now being quietly tested through Google Labs, is stirring discussions about how artificial intelligence might redefine the way users interact with the world’s most-used search engine.

The “I’m Feeling Lucky” button, a nostalgic holdover from Google’s early days, has long been a whimsical gateway to the top result of any search query, bypassing the usual page of ranked results. For instance, searching “dog food” and hitting “I’m Feeling Lucky” might take you straight to Chewy’s website—the top hit. But for those enrolled in Google’s experimental Labs program, this experience is now being replaced with something far more futuristic: AI Mode.

AI Mode acts as a conversational chatbot built into the search experience—similar in function to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Rather than retrieving a single page or list of links, AI Mode performs a “query fan-out,” meaning it simultaneously conducts multiple searches and compiles a synthesized response. The result is a rich, nuanced answer to complex queries—like comparing travel destinations or explaining scientific concepts—with clickable links for further exploration.

“People can ask nuanced questions that might’ve required multiple searches before,” noted Robby Stein, Vice President of Google Search Product, in a recent blog post. “Now, they get a single AI-powered response, streamlining their journey from query to answer.”

This experimental rollout, while currently restricted to a small segment of U.S. users who opt into Google Labs, has started appearing for some outside that group as well. Users on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Threads have reported visual sightings of the AI Mode button, sometimes featuring a rotating rainbow border that makes it stand out alongside traditional options like “Search by Image.”

Although Google hasn’t officially retired the ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ button, its temporary removal for Labs users suggests a pivotal shift is being tested. A Google spokesperson emphasized that this is merely “one of many experiments,” and reiterated that the company is always exploring new ways to improve the user experience.

Still, for longtime Google users, the quiet exit of the quirky button may feel like the end of an era. Introduced in Google’s earliest iterations, the “I’m Feeling Lucky” feature represented a sense of surprise and simplicity—a one-click shortcut to whatever the internet deemed most relevant.

As artificial intelligence takes the wheel in more aspects of online search, this change raises bigger questions about user agency, algorithmic transparency, and whether we’re moving toward a more curated or controlled information ecosystem.

Whether AI Mode becomes a permanent fixture or remains a Labs-only novelty, one thing is certain: Google is actively preparing for a future where search is not just fast—but smart.