Google’s AI Mode now lets you link and interact with select apps

Apps Google’s AI Mode now lets you link and interact with select apps Aisha Malik 9:00 AM PDT · July 16, 2026 Google announced on Thursday that it now allows users to link and interact with some of their go-to apps right in AI Mode, the tech giant’s conversational search experience. At launch, supported apps include Instacart, Canva, and YouTube. With this new update, Google is expanding AI Mode beyond answering questions and into completing tasks across the apps they use regularly.

The tech giant is also likely hoping that users will rely on AI Mode more often for things like planning and shopping. Plus, the rollout will allow Google to better compete with rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, both of which support app integrations. In one example, Google says that if you’re planning a barbecue and using AI Mode to create a grocery list, you can connect your Instacart account to add the ingredients directly to your shopping cart and quickly check out on the Instacart app or website.

Image Credits:Google Or, if you’re working on a project and need design ideas, like for a flyer, you can ask Canva to show you a selection of templates. In another example, Google says you could use AI Mode to curate a playlist for your next party and instantly save it to YouTube Music. The update is rolling out to users in the U.

S. Google says it’s working with a range of partners and plans to launch support for more apps soon. Today’s announcement builds on a capability Google launched earlier this year at Google I/O that lets users connect third-party apps to the Gemini app to complete tasks faster.

Supported apps include Canva, OpenTable, Spark, Instacart, and more. Since its launch in early 2025, Google has been continuously building out AI Mode with more capabilities. Most recently, the tech giant announced that AI Mode can now help check whether an item you need is in stock at a nearby store.

Google also recently added the ability for users to explore the web side-by-side with AI Mode to do things like compare details and ask follow-up questions while preserving the context of their search. Earlier this year, Google launched “Personal Intelligence” on AI Mode, enabling it to tap into users’ Gmail and Google Photos to provide more individualized responses. Topics AI, ai mode, Apps, Google When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission.

This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Aisha Malik Consumer News Reporter Aisha is a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup.

Aisha holds an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University. You can contact or verify outreach from Aisha by emailing aisha@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at aisha_malik.

01 on Signal. View Bio November 4 Boston Last chance to save up to $190 on TechCrunch Founder Summit. Join 1,000+ founders and VCs at all stages for real-world scaling insights and connections that move the needle.

Savings end June 26, 11:59 p.m. PT.

REGISTER NOW Most Popular Tesla driver in fatal Texas crash pressed accelerator 100%, NTSB confirms Sean O'Kane Anthropic’s newest ad is creeping people out Lucas Ropek Satya Nadella has issued a shocking warning to companies using AI Julie Bort The wildest allegations in Apple’s trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI Sarah Perez Anthropic starts localizing Claude pricing for India, its biggest market after the US Jagmeet Singh Meta removes controversial AI feature on Instagram after backlash Lucas Ropek Apple sues OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft Sarah Perez Google announced on Thursday that it now allows users to link and interact with some of their go-to apps right in AI Mode, the tech giant’s conversational search experience. At launch, supported apps include Instacart, Canva, and YouTube. With this new update, Google is expanding AI Mode beyond answering questions and into completing tasks across the apps they use regularly.

The tech giant is also likely hoping that users will rely on AI Mode more often for things like planning and shopping. Plus, the rollout will allow Google to better compete with rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, both of which support app integrations. In one example, Google says that if you’re planning a barbecue and using AI Mode to create a grocery list, you can connect your Instacart account to add the ingredients directly to your shopping cart and quickly check out on the Instacart app or website.

Image Credits:Google Or, if you’re working on a project and need design ideas, like for a flyer, you can ask Canva to show you a selection of templates. In another example, Google says you could use AI Mode to curate a playlist for your next party and instantly save it to YouTube Music. The update is rolling out to users in the U.

S. Google says it’s working with a range of partners and plans to la