AI Mode API

Product Introduction

1. Definition: AI Mode API is a browser extension that transforms Google's AI Mode (an AI-powered conversational search interface) into a programmable REST API endpoint. It falls under the technical category of browser automation and data extraction tools.
2. Core Value Proposition: It enables developers and analysts to programmatically access Google’s AI-generated answers, follow-up questions, and source citations without manual scraping or infrastructure setup, solving the problem of unstructured AI search data extraction.

Main Features

1. Browser Extension Integration:

   • How it works: Installs as a Chromium-based browser extension (Chrome, Edge, Brave) that locally relays requests between Google’s AI Mode interface and external tools. It captures real-time DOM elements after a query execution.
   • Technology: Uses Manifest V3 for extension security and intercepts network activity to extract structured JSON from AI Mode’s response payload.

2. Structured JSON Output:

   • How it works: Automatically parses AI Mode’s conversational output into three machine-readable JSON fields: answer (primary AI-generated text), follow_ups (suggested next questions), and sources (URLs and citations).
   • Technology: Leverages DOM selectors to identify and serialize dynamic page elements, ensuring consistent data formatting.

3. API Endpoint Generation:

   • How it works: Creates a unique HTTP endpoint post-installation, allowing queries via GET/POST requests from any tool (cURL, Python scripts, Zapier).
   • Technology: Hosts a local WebSocket server to bridge browser actions with external HTTP requests, bypassing CORS restrictions.

Problems Solved

1. Pain Point: Manual extraction of AI Mode answers is time-intensive and unscalable; traditional scraping breaks with UI updates.
2. Target Audience:
   • SEO specialists tracking source visibility in AI answers.
   • Data scientists aggregating AI responses for NLP training.
   • Marketing analysts monitoring brand mentions in AI-generated citations.
3. Use Cases:
   • Automating competitive analysis of AI-surfaced sources for keywords.
   • Auditing if proprietary content appears in AI answers during brand audits.
   • Feeding real-time AI insights into business intelligence dashboards.

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation: Unlike generic scrapers (e.g., Puppeteer), it specifically targets AI Mode’s unique output structure (follow-ups/sources) and avoids IP blocks by using the user’s own browser session.
2. Key Innovation: The browser-native approach eliminates cloud servers or proxies, reducing costs and privacy risks while adapting instantly to Google’s UI changes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How does AI Mode API handle Google’s rate limits?
   It enforces browser-level throttling identical to manual AI Mode usage, making it ideal for periodic monitoring, not bulk data scraping.
2. Is AI Mode API legal for commercial use?
   Yes, it operates within Google’s terms by using your browser as an intermediary, avoiding direct server scraping.
3. What browsers support the AI Mode API extension?
   All Chromium-based browsers: Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, and Vivaldi. Firefox/Safari are unsupported.
4. Can I extract historical AI Mode data with this API?
   No, it only processes real-time queries initiated via the API endpoint during active browser sessions.
5. Does AI Mode API work without a Google account?
   Yes, it functions without authentication, accessing public AI Mode results.