After announcing the ability to share your camera with Google Search back in May, Google is today rolling out a major update to Search Live, letting AI Mode users share their camera in real time during searches. This feature is now visible for some users running the latest Google app (version 16.28 stable or 16.29 beta) and participating in Search Labs testing.
When you launch Search Live within AI Mode—either via the AI Mode conversation bar or the redesigned Google Lens shortcut—a new Video button now appears alongside the microphone and transcript controls. Tapping it converts the top section of the screen into a live viewfinder. As Search Live processes your visual input, the familiar four-color waveform dips and responds dynamically while offering insights based on what the camera sees.
This rollout expands on Google’s Project Astra initiative, which enables voice-and-visual AI interaction. The real-time camera sharing function is now embedded not only in Search Live but also surfaced via an updated Google Lens interface. That redesign shifts Lens into a fullscreen viewfinder and adds a pill-shaped lower bar with options for Search, Translate, and Live—replacing the previous static interface.
Right now, the functionality is limited to Search Labs participants, and not everyone sees it yet. But by integrating live video into Search Live, Google is bridging voice, visual input, and AI conversation into one seamless experience.
What stands out is how fluid this experience feels: camera, voice, and AI all working in concert. It shifts search from static queries to interactive guidance—perfect for asking questions while holding your phone up to objects or scenes in the moment.
This update pairs naturally with other recent AI Mode features like Deep Search and virtual try-on tools. Together, they signal Google’s push to turn Search into a conversational, multimodal assistant—not just a tool you type into. The full rollout is still in beta, but for users enrolled, Search Live is reshaping how search happens: from static typing to real-time, camera-powered dialogue.