Google Tests AI‑Focused Homepage Without a Search Button

Google appears to be testing a new AI‑centric homepage layout aimed at users who are not signed into a Google account. Instead of the usual "Google Search" button beneath the search box, the page now shows three shortcuts: "Create Image," "Ask File," and "Brainstorm," along with an "AI Mode" button inside the search field.

We discovered this layout while using the stable version of Chrome in a signed‑out state, and the same arrangement was also seen in Microsoft Edge and the Comet browser from Perplexity.

The "Ask File" shortcut is notable because a plus sign appears in the search box, allowing users to attach a file before submitting a query, enabling file‑based questions without requiring a Google login.

The "Brainstorm" shortcut also works without signing in; selecting it opens a dialog where users can describe a need and receive AI‑generated suggestions.

In contrast, the "Create Image" option still requires a logged‑in Google account before it can be used.

Compared with the traditional Google homepage, which displays the "Google Search" and "I'm Feeling Lucky" buttons, the new version replaces the search button with the three AI shortcuts while retaining the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button.

When a user signs into a Google account, the three AI shortcuts disappear, reappearing again after signing out.

Google has not clarified whether this new layout will be rolled out to all users; it may be part of an A/B test or a server‑side rollout limited by account status, session, or geographic location.

Given that Google conducts thousands of A/B tests and often experiments with UI changes that never reach a final release, even a minor alteration like removing the search button on its most conservative page is noteworthy.