Skip to the guide

Get better answers from AI Mode

AI answers 2 min read Beginner Updated

On this page
  1. Ask a specific question
  2. Build on the answer
  3. Make answers easy to check
  4. Give it material to work with
  5. Pick the right tool
  6. Common questions

AI Mode answers what you ask, so the way you ask shapes the answer. A few habits make answers more specific, better sourced, and easier to check.

#Ask a specific question

Instead of Try
heat pumps How do heat pumps work in cold weather?
mortgage What has happened to 30-year mortgage rates this month?
best phone Compare the battery life of this year's flagship phones in a table
  • Say what you want to know, not only the subject. A full question searches better than a single word.
  • Name the place, the date or the people when they matter: "in Ohio", "this week", "since 2020".
  • Ask for a format: "in three bullet points", "as a table", "step by step", "in plain language".

#Build on the answer

  • Follow up in a few words. "What about in very cold places?" is understood in the context of your last question. See Follow-up questions and the results column.
  • Change the subject with a full question, or start a New chat, so old context does not leak in.
  • Use Ask next. The suggested questions under an answer are often the natural next step.

#Make answers easy to check

  • Ask for current events with words the news would use: names, places, the event. That finds better articles for the answer to cite.
  • Ask where a claim comes from: "Which of the sources says that?" The answer can point to its numbered sources. See Sources and citations.
  • Ask it to separate fact from opinion or to "note where the sources disagree".

#Give it material to work with

You can paste text into a message, up to 2,000 characters: a paragraph from a letter, a product description, notes. Then ask, for example, "Summarize this in plain language" or "What questions should I ask about this?".

#Pick the right tool

  • Choose a topic when your question belongs to one subject: see Ask AI about one topic.
  • Use the News or Web tab when you want many results to scan rather than one answer.
  • Use the AI Overview for a quick summary while you search: see The AI Overview.

#Common questions

Why did AI Mode answer a different question from the one I meant?

It answers the most likely reading of your words. Rephrase with more detail, or edit your last question with Edit under it.

Will asking the same question again give the same answer?

Not always. Answers are written fresh each time, and the news may have changed. Regenerate asks again on purpose.