Google debuts Project Mariner, its web-browsing AI agent
At Google I/O 2025, the tech giant announced a major expansion of Project Mariner, its experimental AI agent capable of browsing websites and completing online tasks on behalf of users. First introduced in late 2024, Project Mariner is now rolling out more broadly — and it’s significantly more powerful.
Project Mariner Grows Up
Project Mariner is no longer just a prototype. Google says it has re-engineered the system to run on cloud-based virtual machines, freeing users to multitask while the agent works in the background. The new version can now handle up to 10 simultaneous tasks, such as booking tickets, ordering groceries, or comparing service prices — all without the user ever needing to visit a website.
This marks a big improvement over its earlier browser-based design, which required users to essentially pause other online activity while the AI operated. Now, Mariner is much closer to fulfilling the promise of a truly autonomous AI assistant.
Part of Google’s AI Ultra Plan
Access to the new and improved Project Mariner will be available to U.S. users who subscribe to Google’s AI Ultra plan, priced at $249.99 per month. Global support is expected soon, and Google has plans to integrate Mariner into its Gemini API and Vertex AI, enabling developers to build advanced, task-oriented applications with it.
Mariner in Search and Beyond
In the coming months, Project Mariner will also be accessible via AI Mode, Google’s enhanced, AI-powered search experience. Initially limited to Search Labs, the integration will allow users to ask the AI to perform tasks — like booking a table at a restaurant or purchasing event tickets — directly from the search interface.
Google is partnering with companies like Ticketmaster, StubHub, Resy, and Vagaro to enable these "agentic flows," in which Mariner acts as a middleman between users and web services.
Introducing Agent Mode
Alongside Mariner, Google also debuted a related experience called Agent Mode, an upcoming feature that combines browsing capabilities with research tools and integrations from Google’s broader ecosystem (like Gmail and Calendar). The feature is expected to roll out to AI Ultra subscribers on desktop in the near future.
A Shift in How We Use the Web
Project Mariner competes with similar efforts from OpenAI, Amazon, and Anthropic — all of whom are racing to build intelligent agents that can act online. These systems are still experimental and occasionally clunky, but Google believes it’s finally ready to bring this technology to mainstream users.
Mariner isn’t just about convenience. If it works at scale, it could dramatically reshape how people interact with the internet — moving from traditional browsing to task delegation via AI. For developers, businesses, and everyday users alike, this signals a major shift in the digital landscape.
With Project Mariner, Google is pushing the AI assistant from novelty to utility — and perhaps, necessity.
