Google AI Mode Arrives in Indonesia! What Brands Must Do Next

A few months ago I wrote about Google AI Mode when it first reached selected users in the US India and the UK. Back then the feature seemed experimental. Now it is showing up in more places. For Indonesia some accounts get access and others do not.

I tested both personal and company emails. Results were different across accounts. Some corporate emails could open AI Mode. Others could not. I recorded this in a short video to document the variance.

At the time I publish this piece, Google has not issued an official statement specifically saying AI Mode is available in Indonesia. That is my observation. If I am wrong I will correct this later. For now a cautious reading suggests Google is running staged tests.

My working hypothesis is that Google selects accounts with specific criteria. One likely criterion is account age. Another likely factor is whether the account is a Google Workspace address. That is my hypothesis. I will revisit it once I have more data.

What is Google AI Mode?

AI Mode is a new Search experience that blends conversational AI with regular search. It was highlighted during Google I/O on May 20 2025. AI Mode uses Gemini models to reason across many web pages. It issues many internal queries at once to assemble a longer and more structured answer. Users can follow up with additional questions without starting over.

The mode also offers Deep Search. Deep Search runs hundreds of mini searches. The results are synthesized into a longer report with citations. It looks and feels different from a classic search page. The result is presented like a single coherent answer with links to sources on the side. For many queries the experience feels like an intelligent assistant that can research for you.

Is AI Mode Gemini?

Google made clear at I/O that AI Mode would bring a custom version of Gemini 2 5 into Search. The official description uses words like frontier capabilities and advanced reasoning. Put simply the model powering AI Mode is Gemini enhanced with Google Search knowledge. The model is tuned to include citation links and to work with Search features.

AI Mode is where we’ll first bring Gemini’s frontier capabilities, and it’s also a glimpse of what’s to come. As we get feedback, we'll graduate many features and capabilities from AI Mode right into the core Search experience. Starting this week, we're bringing a custom version of Gemini 2.5, our most intelligent model, into Search for both AI Mode and AI Overviews in the U.S. By Elizabeth Reid, VP Head of Search

That means AI Mode is not a standalone LLM product in the way some chatbots are. It is an integrated feature inside Search. It benefits from Google s index and from Google s ability to surface structured data. It is a hybrid. It blends LLM reasoning with linkable sources.

My test in Google AI Mode Indonesia

I tried AI Mode on multiple Gmail accounts. I used one personal email and two corporate emails on Google Workspace. The experience differed. One company account opened AI Mode with the AI tab visible. Another company account did not. Personal accounts showed mixed results too.

Play video here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18MNkcTCn-auczW3WSUR7WaD5BeR1Zl_Z/view?usp=sharing 

The UI was familiar. It resembles other chat AI interfaces like Perplexity. The difference is that AI Mode offers a toggle to return to classic search at any time. The top of the page has a clear AI Mode tab that offers follow up questions and an incremental deepening of the answer.

For non English queries the output varied. English questions returned crisp summaries with clear source links on the right side. Indonesian language queries produced summaries that felt less refined. The source list sometimes missed local pages and defaulted to English sources.

Why this matters for Indonesian content?

AI summaries require references. Google cites sources in the right column of the AI result. If the model favors English sources for Indonesian queries then local publishers may lose visibility. The risk is real. Many Indonesian sites rely on SERP features to drive traffic.

Even if citations exist the user may not click through. A polished AI summary reduces the need to visit multiple pages. This change could compress the funnel. It could reduce traffic that currently goes to news sites blogs and e commerce pages.

From a business perspective this is a serious threat. For publishers the first challenge is to ensure that source signals for Indonesian content are unambiguous. That means clear structured data readable by Google. It means fast pages and robust technical SEO. It also means authoritativeness and E-E-A-T signals that align with what the model trusts.

SEO implications?

Treat AI Mode as a new distribution channel. It is not search only. It is an answer layer that sits above search. Optimizing for it requires different tactics from classic SEO. Below are the core points.

1. Structured data matters more than ever
   AI Mode uses structured signals to identify sources. Schema markup is not optional. Provide clear article schema. Use organization schema and author markup. Use structured data for events reviews and product listings. Make it easy for AI to parse and attribute content.

2. Improve content clarity and citation quality
   AI prefers sources that are factual and well organized. Use clear section headings and provide inline references. Make your data easy to extract. Use tables where it helps. Use bullet lists but keep them short.

3. Local language quality and localization
   If the model favors English for Indonesia try to fix that by serving bilingual signals. Use hreflang where appropriate. Create English summaries of important Indonesian pages. Make sure that Indonesian pages include robust metadata and schema.

4. Monitoring and log analysis
   AI Mode can reduce click through rates. You will need to monitor traffic in new ways. Look at query level data. Combine server logs with Google Search Console to detect sudden drops. Use log analysis at scale to find which queries AI Mode impacts.

5. Content format diversification
   Long form articles may feed AI better than short thin pages. But small answers still matter. Produce both. Have a pillar article for depth and small tactical pages for quick facts. That gives you more entry points for AI Mode.

6. Attribution and branding
   If AI Mode shows your content as a source then the brand mention is valuable even without click. But attribution alone may not pay the bills. Plan how to convert attribution into revenue. Consider lightweight micro conversions on the same page. Or make content a clear lead magnet.

Agency adaptation and product thinking?

For SEO agencies this is more than a channel shift. It is a product shift. Agencies must offer new deliverables. Here are realistic offers an agency can sell now.

1. Technical readiness audit
   Audit schema implementation page speed indexability and server logs. Deliver a prioritized roadmap. This is the basic hygiene that will matter when AI Mode picks a source.

2. AI readiness content audit
   Assess your client s content for extractability. Which pages are likely to be cited by AI Mode. Which pages are not. Provide a plan to rework low quality pages into citation ready assets.

3. Search monitoring playbook
   Design a monitoring system that combines query tracking log analysis and content performance. Build alerts for traffic drops on high value queries.

4. Content engineering and automation
   Use AI to scale research and draft content. But always add human verification. Use the model to create structured summaries then enrich them with local context and citations.

5. Training and change management
   Train client teams on the new UX. Show them how AI Mode appears and how it changes user intent. Help product teams think about new KPIs that measure intent capture not just clicks.

B2B and B2C impact?

For B2C the UX shift is immediate. Consumers may get answers without clicking. That hurts ad revenue and affiliate income. It also compresses discovery paths. Brands will need to earn trust inside the summary.

For B2B the risk is different. Buying teams use Search for research and vendor comparison. AI Mode could make vendor shortlists faster. That benefits brands that already surface as authoritative sources. It hurts small vendors that rely on discovery traffic.

Action checklist for brands and product owners:

1. Run a technical SEO audit now. Fix schema and speed issues.

2. Identify your highest value queries. Create citation ready pages for them. Include data charts and references.

3. Build an attribution strategy. Assume you will be cited. Decide how to convert that into leads.

4. Monitor search traffic and inquiries. Use server logs to supplement Search Console.

5. Test content in English and Indonesian. Measure which language gets cited more often.

6. Prepare a recovery plan. If traffic drops design targeted campaigns to recover audience via newsletters social channels and direct marketing.

A realistic timeline?

AI Mode is in early rollout. In some regions it is already public. Google will expand features over time. Expect faster rollout to large English markets first. Then other languages will follow.

This means we have a window to prepare. Use this window. Fix fundamentals. Create a set of pages optimized for citation. Train stakeholders on new behaviors.

What I would test next?

I will continue testing account variables. I want to know the relation between account age workspace status and AI Mode access. I will test more Indonesian queries and measure citation patterns. I will also track click through rates for pages that are cited by AI Mode.

For now my working advice is simple. Treat AI Mode as both threat and opportunity. A threat if you wait.

Secure your advantage now. Share up to five priority pages and I will run a focused AI Mode readiness audit tailored to enterprise needs that checks schema and page speed and content extractability and citation probability. You will receive a prioritized 90 day roadmap with tactical fixes, clear effort estimates and measurable milestones so your brand can earn citations protect organic traffic and convert attention into dependable revenue.

Act while rollout is still limited. Preparation today prevents reactive firefighting tomorrow.