Google Tests Removing 'Google Search' Button from Homepage, Replacing It with AI Shortcuts

Google has started testing a new version of its search engine homepage, where the classic 'Google Search' button is replaced by a set of shortcuts for working with artificial intelligence. As reported by Android Authority citing Search Engine Watch, some users visiting the start page without being logged into their Google account noticed the new interface. Instead of the usual search button, they are offered three options: 'Create images' using the Nano Banana model, 'Ask about files' for uploading documents with subsequent AI queries about their content, and 'Brainstorm' for a regular dialogue with AI. The only element Google did not remove is the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button. Notably, the explicit mention of search capability has also disappeared, but the search function itself remains: users can still type a query and press Enter or Return on the keyboard, indicating that basic functionality is preserved even without the graphic button. Google has not disclosed the scale of the experiment, and the criteria for current testing remain unknown, as the new layout does not reproduce consistently even when changing browsers, regions, or login status, notes a journalist from Search Engine Watch. However, the fact of excluding a key navigation element fits into the company's overall strategy to attract users to its AI services.