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APIEndpoint 7 of 40SERP / AI Search / Google AI Mode

AI Mode API

The conversational search API for the new search stack.

Google's AI Mode is a dedicated conversational interface — users ask natural questions like 'plumber near me that works weekends' and get full, multi-turn responses instead of 10 blue links. AI Overview is a snippet above organic results; AI Mode is the entire search session. Your agent captures what Google's AI says about you in real conversational context, see which businesses it recommends, and understand how local intent flows through conversational search.

Start Free — 50 CreditsView Docs

POST /v1/serp/ai-mode · 2 credits / call

POST /v1/serp/ai-mode~3s · 1 credit
AI Mode (conversational)"best plumber in austin"

Based on Google reviews and local rankings, the highest-rated plumbers in Austin include ABC Plumbing (4.8 / 542 reviews), Roto-Rooter, and Mr. Rooter. Same-day service is offered by several providers.

Cited sources

ABC Plumbing — Austin, TXabcplumbing.com
Top 10 Plumbers in Austinyelp.com
Austin's Best-Rated Plumbershomeadvisor.com
▌ Ask your agent

These prompts are the new conversational search workflow.

Connect Local SEO Data as an MCP server once (60 seconds, below). Then your agent tracks conversational queries. Replace bracketed prompts with your own.

Conversational intent tracking

Pull the AI Mode response for [plumber near me that works weekends] in [Austin, TX]. Tell me if Google's AI recommends us, our top competitors, or neither. Quote the exact AI response text.

Conversational vs traditional SERP comparison

Pull both the AI Overview and AI Mode responses for [best dentist that does invisalign]. Compare what the AI says in conversational mode versus the summary snippet. Which version cites us and which doesn't?

Multi-turn conversational simulation

A prospect says they need a [HVAC contractor near me that does emergency service]. Pull the AI Mode response from their location. Show me which contractors Google's AI recommends first and what criteria it uses to rank them.

Follow-up question exploration

Pull AI Mode for [best pizza delivery near me that's open now]. Extract all the referenced businesses and their attributes. Show me what questions a user would naturally ask next about each recommendation.

▌ Real response

What you get back

Live response from POST /v1/serp/ai-mode for a conversational plumbing query in Austin, TX.

response · application/json~5-12s · 2 credits
{
  "status": "success",
  "credits_used": 2,
  "data": {
    "ai_response": "Looking for a plumber in Austin who works weekends? Here are some great options. ABC Plumbing offers 24/7 emergency service including weekends, with same-day response times and certified technicians. They have a 4.9 rating with 680 reviews. Prime Plumbing also covers weekends and specializes in water heater repairs and emergency drain service. You can typically reach them within 2 hours on Saturday mornings. If you need a smaller local contractor, allied Plumbing has weekend availability and focuses on residential work.",
    "references": [
      {
        "title": "ABC Plumbing - Austin TX - Weekend & Emergency Service",
        "url": "https://abcplumbing.com",
        "domain": "abcplumbing.com"
      },
      {
        "title": "Prime Plumbing Services - Weekend Emergency Plumbing",
        "url": "https://primeplumbing-austin.com",
        "domain": "primeplumbing-austin.com"
      },
      {
        "title": "Allied Plumbing - Local Austin Contractor",
        "url": "https://alliedplumbing-austin.com",
        "domain": "alliedplumbing-austin.com"
      },
      {
        "title": "Google Business Profiles - Plumbers Austin",
        "url": "https://google.com/maps",
        "domain": "google.com"
      }
    ],
    "shopping_items": [],
    "keyword": "plumber near me that works weekends",
    "location": "Austin, TX"
  }
}
▌ Returns

Everything you need to track conversational search visibility

Full AI response text

The complete conversational answer from Google's AI

ai_response contains the full text of what Google's AI said in conversational mode — not a snippet, not a summary, the entire multi-sentence response. This is what users read when they ask conversational questions. Much longer and more detailed than an AI Overview.

Reference list

Every business and source Google's AI cites

references array shows the exact businesses Google's AI recommends in conversational mode, including title, URL, domain, and their order in the response. Track if you're recommended first or later in the sequence.

Conversation context

Natural language signals about how Google ranks conversational intent

The AI response includes reasoning — why it recommends business A before business B, what attributes it prioritizes, how it frames each recommendation. This tells you what conversational search actually values beyond keywords.

Shopping and product suggestions

Product recommendations if part of the response

shopping_items captures product recommendations if the AI included them — e.g., 'you might also want to buy a pipe wrench.' Less common for local services, but present for product-related conversational queries.

▌ Built for

What AI-native operators ship with this

Conversational intent optimization

Pull AI Mode responses for conversational variants of your keywords. 'Best plumber' returns different results than 'plumber near me that works weekends'. Map which conversational phrasings recommend you and which don't. Optimize content to address the conversational intent.

→ For agencies

Pre-pitch conversational audit

Before the sales call, pull AI Mode for a prospect's conversational keywords. Show them: 'In natural conversation, Google's AI recommends your competitors but not you. Here's what we need to change.' Conversational intent is much clearer than keyword rankings.

→ For consultants

Competitive conversational tracking

Monitor which competitors Google's AI prioritizes in conversational responses. Pull weekly snapshots for your core conversational queries. Track if your position improves, stays stable, or drops in multi-turn dialogue context.

→ Competitor Gap API

Conversational vs traditional SERP comparison

Pair with [Organic SERP API](/organic-serp-api) and [AI Overview API](/ai-overview-api). You might rank #1 organically, appear in the AI Overview, but not get recommended in AI Mode conversational responses. Your agent detects these gaps and flags content misalignment.

→ Organic SERP API
▌ vs. the alternatives

Why not just test Google AI Mode manually?

Testing Google's conversational search by hand is unrepeatable and slow — responses vary between sessions, and tracking changes across dozens of conversational queries is labor-intensive. Competitors offer limited AI Mode tracking. We charge $0.01 per call, unlimited queries.

ApproachSetupCost per 100 queriesConversational trackingAgent-ready
Manual Google AI Mode testingNone, but ~3 min per query$0 but ~5 hours laborHand-documented, unrepeatableNo
SerpApi with AI Mode supportAPI key, integration time$0.50–1.00 per queryBasic text captureREST only, no MCP
DataForSEO Google Search APIAPI key + parsing$0.30–0.60 per callLimited AI Mode supportREST-only, no MCP
Profound AI trackingEnterprise sales call$499–2000/mo (~$16–65 per kw)Dashboard aggregationDashboard-first
Local SEO Data AI Mode APIAPI key + 1-line MCP config$1.00 total (100 calls × $0.01)Full conversational response captureNative MCP, agent-first
▌ Connect in 60 seconds

Use it from your agent

Two integration surfaces: MCP for clients that speak MCP, REST API for everything else.

Direct MCP integration

Drop-in support in Claude Desktop, OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, and any MCP-aware client.

Add to your client's MCP config (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "localseodata": {
      "url": "https://mcp.localseodata.com",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer sk_live_..."
      }
    }
  }
}

REST API

For Perplexity Computer, ChatGPT Custom GPTs, custom agents, and any platform that calls REST endpoints directly.

Base URL:

api.localseodata.com

See the docs for endpoint reference and auth.

▌ Quickstart

Your first call in three lines

Same call, three syntaxes. The core parameters are `keyword` (conversational question or query) and `location` (city and state). That's it. One call returns the full AI Mode response text, all referenced businesses, and the ranking order.

terminal · curl
POST /v1/serp/ai-mode
curl -X POST https://api.localseodata.com/v1/serp/ai-mode \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "keyword": "plumber near me that works weekends",
    "location": "Austin, TX"
  }'
Full endpoint reference → · Get an API key →
▌ Pricing for this endpoint

$0.01 per call

Pay-as-you-go starts at $5. Monthly plans from $19. Funds never expire. No seat fees, no per-keyword tiers.

Free tier
5,000
AI Mode calls on signup (50 credits)
Starter · $19/mo
1,900
calls/mo at this rate
Per-call cost
$0.01
per conversational query
▌ FAQ

Common questions

What is the AI Mode API?+
A REST endpoint that captures Google's AI Mode response for any conversational query and location. AI Mode is Google's dedicated conversational search interface — when a user asks 'plumber near me that works weekends', Google's AI returns a full conversational response recommending specific businesses, explaining why, and providing details. One call costs 2 credits (~$0.01). This endpoint returns: the full AI response text (ai_response), all businesses and sources referenced (references), and their ranking order. Endpoint: POST /v1/serp/ai-mode.
What is AI Mode and when do users see it?+
Google's AI Mode is a dedicated interface for conversational search that launched in 2024 and expanded globally by 2026. Users access it as a distinct mode within Google Search (sometimes called 'AI-first search' or 'conversational mode'). Instead of typing keywords and getting 10 blue links, users ask natural questions: 'plumber near me that works weekends', 'best pizza delivery open now in Austin', 'dentist near me that does invisalign on payment plan'. Google's AI synthesizes responses from multiple sources, recommends specific businesses or products, and invites follow-up questions. AI Mode is distinct from AI Overview, which appears as a snippet above traditional search results. AI Mode replaces the search results entirely with a conversational session.
How is AI Mode different from AI Overview?+
AI Overview appears as a snippet box at the top of traditional search results (1 of 5 searches as of 2026). It's a brief synthesized summary — 2-4 sentences — designed for speed. You can't ask follow-ups; it's static. AI Mode is a full conversational interface where users ask natural questions and get detailed, multi-sentence responses with explicit recommendations. Users can ask follow-ups like 'do any of those offer payment plans?' and get clarified answers. AI Overview is SERP-supplemental; AI Mode is SERP-replacement. Tracking both matters: traditional SERP rank tracking ignores both. Tracking AI Overview shows you presence in snippets. Tracking AI Mode shows you presence in conversational recommendations.
How does Google's AI recommend businesses in AI Mode?+
Google's AI Mode response includes explicit business recommendations — 'ABC Plumbing offers 24/7 weekend service', 'Prime Plumbing specializes in water heater repair'. The AI ranks them by relevance to the conversational query, not keyword match. It considers Google Business Profile data, reviews, service areas, and specialized offerings. For 'plumber near me that works weekends', the AI prioritizes availability and responsiveness. For 'best pizza delivery open now', the AI prioritizes hours and delivery radius. The order businesses appear in the AI response matters — first mention is highest-ranked for that conversational intent.
Can I see which specific businesses Google's AI recommends?+
Yes. Every call returns references — an array of businesses or sources Google's AI cited in its response, in the order they appear. You can see exactly which competitors (or your own business) got recommended, which were mentioned first, and what context the AI provided about each. This is the core unlock: if you rank #1 organically but don't appear in AI Mode conversational responses for your target queries, you have a documented content gap. You can compare conversational results week-to-week to track if your position improves, stabilizes, or drops.
How fresh is the AI Mode data?+
Data reflects Google's live conversational AI at call time — the response you get is what the AI would generate right now for that query-location pair. LLM responses can vary between calls due to sampling and training data, so exact text isn't guaranteed identical across seconds. For tracking workflows, most operators call once daily at a fixed time (e.g. 6 AM UTC) to build a clean time-series. Weekly calls work for trend spotting. Monthly calls work for baseline reporting. Daily is recommended for competitive conversational keywords and weekly for long-tail.
Is this the same as Google's Gemini mode or AI search?+
Google's AI Mode in search is powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash as of May 2026, but it's a specific search interface, not the Gemini app itself. AI Mode is integrated into Google Search. When we say 'AI Mode API', we're capturing responses from Google Search's dedicated conversational interface. This is different from calling the Gemini API directly or interacting with the Gemini app — we're capturing what Google's search interface returns for local, conversational queries. Google also uses different terminology: 'AI Mode', 'conversational search', 'AI-first search experience' — they're the same feature.
How does this compare to the AI Overview API or AI Visibility API?+
Three distinct endpoints for three use cases. AI Overview API (/v1/serp/ai-overview) captures the brief AI-generated snippet that appears above traditional search results for ~20% of queries. You get snippet text and citations. AI Mode API (/v1/serp/ai-mode) captures the full conversational response from Google's dedicated AI Mode interface — detailed, multi-turn friendly, with explicit business recommendations. AI Visibility API (/v1/ai/visibility) measures cross-platform LLM mentions (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity) aggregated as a composite score. Pick AI Overview for SERP snippet tracking. Pick AI Mode for conversational intent tracking. Pick AI Visibility for cross-platform brand visibility.
Where does this AI Mode data come from?+
AI Mode data is captured from Google Search's live conversational interface at call time. We fetch the live response Google's AI generates for your keyword-location pair and return it structured. Data refreshes on every call — no caching across hours or days. DataForSEO, our upstream provider for many SERP endpoints, provides collection infrastructure. We name upstream sources because if you're running client work you should know where data comes from and trust the pipeline.
Can I track AI Mode responses for competitors' keywords?+
Yes — and this is the core reason third-party AI Mode APIs exist. Google doesn't offer a tool to see which businesses it recommends for any given conversational query. Our endpoint accepts any keyword and location — your competitors, your prospects, any market. No verification, no ownership requirement. You can pull AI Mode for 'best dentist seattle that does invisalign' and see which local dentists Google's AI recommends, then compare your client's prominence to competitors. This is what makes conversational competitor analysis work.
Is it legal to use a third-party AI Mode API?+
Google's AI Mode results are public data — anyone can search Google and see them without authentication. Third-party SERP APIs have been a standard category for over a decade. Google's Terms of Service govern automated access to Google's own services and are a civil contract, not a criminal statute. Federal courts in *hiQ v. LinkedIn* have consistently held that scraping publicly available data does not violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. You're also not operating the collection — you're calling a hosted API whose upstream provider operates at scale. If you're running production client work, this is the standard, defensible path. (This is not legal advice — consult your counsel.)
Can AI agents use the AI Mode API directly?+
Yes. Two integration paths. MCP: add Local SEO Data to your claude_desktop_config.json (or any MCP-aware client) and your agent calls this endpoint from any prompt without integration code. REST: any agent that can make HTTPS calls — ChatGPT Custom GPTs, Perplexity Computer, custom Python agents — hits api.localseodata.com directly with the Bearer token. The agent receives structured JSON and can reason about it — flagging competitive gaps, tracking position over time, alerting on recommendation changes.
How do I track changes in AI Mode responses over time?+
Store snapshot responses in a database or CSV, then compare week-to-week. Your agent can do this: fetch AI Mode, compare references to last week's list, flag new businesses being recommended and old ones dropping, surface changes in response content. Most teams run daily snapshots for core conversational keywords and weekly for long-tail, then alert on material shifts (a competitor appearing in recommendations, or your domain no longer being cited). Because we're API-first, you own the snapshots — no vendor lock-in.
What if a query doesn't trigger AI Mode?+
Some queries don't trigger AI Mode at all — Google's AI mode is most active for local, conversational, and exploratory intent. Transactional queries like 'buy plumbing supplies' might return traditional results instead. If a query doesn't trigger AI Mode, the response still returns cleanly, indicating the absence. This tells you the query isn't conversational-search territory — focus on traditional SERP rank tracking instead. Not all queries are meant for AI Mode exploration.
What changed in 2026 that made conversational search tracking necessary?+
Three things. First, Google's AI Mode became a standard interface worldwide across 98 languages by May 2026. Second, research showed conversational search drives different intent patterns — 'plumber near me that works weekends' is fundamentally different from 'plumber austin' and returns different recommendations. Traditional keyword rank trackers miss this entirely. Third, MCP became standard, making it practical for agents to track specialized surfaces like AI Mode without integration code. Old rank trackers report position 1 and miss conversational recommendations completely. We built this endpoint for agents to see where you rank in conversational intent.
▌ Related endpoints

Often used in the same agent prompt

POST /v1/serp/ai-overview
AI Overview API

Capture Google's AI Overview snippet for any query — presence, text, cited sources.

POST /v1/ai/visibility
AI Visibility API

Measure your domain's visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity.

POST /v1/serp/organic
Organic SERP API

Full Google search results with ads, local pack, AI Overview, People Also Ask.

POST /v1/ai/llm-response
AI LLM Response API

See what ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity says about a specific query.

Track what Google's AI recommends you for in conversational search, starting now.

50 free credits on signup. Your first AI Mode call happens through Claude, not curl. 5,000 conversational queries worth of tracking included free.

Start FreeRead the docs
▌ MADE FOR THE NEW LOCAL SEO STACK