Google's AI-Powered Answers Arrive in Portugal, Shaking Up Search

Anyone opening Google in Portugal this week will notice searches feel almost conversational. That is the surface sign of a deeper overhaul: Mountain View has switched on its long-promised Modo IA and, overnight, the tool that eight in ten Portuguese use daily has morphed from an index of links into a real-time answer engine. Below we unpack what has changed, why some local publishers are nervous, and how regulators in Lisbon and Brussels are preparing to scrutinise the new feature.

A new layer on top of the familiar blue links

The change is subtle in design—a new tab labelled IA appears above results—yet profound in function. Instead of serving a list of pages, the system powered by Google’s customised Gemini model breaks a query into micro-questions, runs dozens of searches in parallel and stitches the findings into a single paragraph, chart or table. Early Portuguese testers are already typing queries two to three times longer than before, evidence that citizens feel comfortable asking for sprawling advice, whether it is “plan a four-day surf trip from Ericeira to Peniche” or “compare fixed-rate vs variable-rate mortgages under current ECB policy”. The response arrives in seconds, enriched with voice playback and the option to refine by uploading photos or speaking follow-ups.

From SGE in California to Modo IA in Cascais

If the experience sounds familiar to anyone who followed Google’s American pilot known as Search Generative Experience (later re-branded AI Overviews), that is no coincidence. Engineers have merged the codebases; the Portuguese rollout is simply the most polished version yet, deploying the multimodal strengths of Gemini rather than the older PaLM architecture. The branding shift reflects localisation strategy more than technology: “AI Mode” in London, Modo IA in Lisbon, but both drawing on the same cloud of reinforced learning techniques. What differs is language support—European Portuguese joins 35 new idioms—and the inclusion of locally relevant data sets such as Instituto Nacional de Estatística indicators or Diário da República legal archives.

Why newsrooms are counting every lost click

The jubilant tone from Google contrasts with the mood in many editorial offices. Titles such as Observador and Público rely on search referrals for a dominant share of ad impressions; anything that short-circuits the need to click through threatens margins already squeezed by programmatic prices. Internationally, publishers have reported drops of up to 89 % in click-through rate after AI summaries went live. Lisbon’s APImprensa warns the pattern could repeat here, noting that "if the answer sits atop the page, the incentive to visit the source evaporates." Google counters that Modo IA still surfaces prominent source links and may send audiences "fewer but higher-intent" visits, yet has offered no binding traffic guarantee.

The privacy puzzle that will test the AI Act

Behind the commercial tussle lies a regulatory one. Portugal’s CNPD is already probing how large language models ingest personal data scraped from the web. Under the EU’s AI Act, which began phasing in on 2 August 2025, developers of so-called GPAI systems must publish detailed summaries of the datasets used for training and prove that copyrighted material is either licensed or lawfully referenced. Google says Gemini’s Portuguese output respects those rules, but watchdogs want to know whether the model can unintentionally reveal sensitive information about individual tax status, health or political leanings. Failure to comply could trigger fines of up to 7 % of global turnover once the Act is fully enforceable.

What users gain—and what they should watch

For everyday searchers the upside is immediate: fewer open tabs, richer results, voice and image queries all in the same thread. Students can transform lecture photos into revision notes; small businesses may obtain instant competitor analyses; tourists get dynamic itineraries without hopping across travel blogs. Still, experts advise scepticism. AI summaries sometimes hallucinate statistics, misinterpret sarcasm or oversimplify legal jargon. Google places a disclaimer above each answer reminding readers to consult the linked sources, but the onus remains on citizens to double-check facts that influence medical, financial or legal decisions.

The road ahead for Portugal’s digital ecosystem

In the coming months Google will extend Modo IA to more verticals such as shopping, flights and local services, areas where comparison sites and boutique e-commerce players fear being sidelined. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Assembleia da República are drafting an umbrella bill that aligns national sanctions with Brussels’ AI Act timetable. Whether the new search paradigm proves a boon for productivity or a blow to pluralism hinges on how those legal and commercial negotiations unfold. For now, Portugal joins more than 200 jurisdictions in a live experiment that could redefine how knowledge is discovered—and who gets paid for curating it.