Google to Introduce Ads in AI Mode
Google to Integrate Advertisements into AI Mode and AI Overviews
On Wednesday, Google revealed its strategy for incorporating advertisements into AI Mode, the company’s artificial intelligence-driven feature within Google Search.
AI Mode Ad Implementation
As part of a testing phase, advertisements will be displayed “where relevant” both below and “integrated into” the responses generated by AI Mode. This feature allows Google Search users to pose questions and receive AI-created answers, with the option to explore further through subsequent inquiries and links to external websites.
Google explains in a blog post shared with TechCrunch that, in certain scenarios, a website builder could represent a logical next step following an AI Mode query. Consequently, a pertinent advertisement assisting users in initiating their projects may be shown.
Users can then utilize the AI to investigate potential business concepts, determine appropriate content strategies, and gain insights into their intended audience.
Advertising Revenue and User Concerns
Given that advertising constitutes Google’s primary revenue stream – the company reported $66.89 billion in ad revenue during Q1 2025 – the eventual inclusion of ads within what many consider the future of Google Search was anticipated. However, this development may not be well-received by all users.
A recent survey conducted by CivicScience, a consumer analytics platform, indicates that 36% of adults in the U.S. express apprehension regarding AI’s role in advertising, stating they would be less inclined to purchase from brands utilizing AI in their advertisements.
Eligibility and Availability
Advertisers currently employing Performance Max, Shopping, and Search campaigns with “broad match” settings will qualify to have their advertisements displayed within AI Mode. Initially, users in the U.S. will encounter Search and Shopping ads in AI Mode on both desktop and mobile platforms.
Industry Trends and Competitor Activity
Several of Google’s competitors have either experimented with or are contemplating the integration of advertisements into their AI-powered products. Perplexity, an AI-driven search engine, launched advertisements last November and has not dismissed the possibility of gathering data beyond its platform to enhance targeted advertising.
Microsoft briefly tested advertisements within its Copilot chatbot some time ago. OpenAI has also suggested that it might eventually adopt an ad-supported model to complement subscription revenues.
Expansion to AI Overviews
Alongside the AI Mode announcement, Google revealed plans to broaden the presence of advertisements within AI Overviews, its Google Search feature that automatically synthesizes and summarizes responses to user queries.
Search and Shopping ads will soon be visible on desktop computers in the U.S., with a subsequent rollout to “select countries” on both mobile and desktop devices in English.
Within AI Overviews, advertisements will be incorporated into AI-generated summaries “when relevant to both the query and the response provided,” and will be clearly marked as “Sponsored.”
Previous Implementation and Publisher Concerns
Google initially introduced advertisements to AI Overviews in the U.S. on mobile devices last October.
Certain publishers have voiced concerns that Google’s actions could potentially jeopardize their own advertising revenue. Google has stated that it considers publishers’ concerns during the development of its AI search experiences and advertising products designed for those experiences.
