On Wednesday, Google detailed plans to introduce ads to AI mode, an AI-powered experience in Google Search.
According to Google, ads can appear in “relevant” and “relevant locations” and “integrated” AI mode responses. In AI mode, Google search users can ask questions and get AI-generated answers with the ability to deepen their follow-up questions and link to websites.
“In some cases, website builders can be a good next step (with AI mode queries), so they may display useful ads that will help (users) get started,” Google explains in a blog post provided to TechCrunch. “From there, (users) can ask questions to explore possible business ideas, the types of content to develop, and even learn about the target audience.”
Ads are Google’s main cash cow – the company won $668.9 billion in advertising revenue in the first quarter of 2025 alone – it was inevitable that it would eventually move on to what many would see as the future of Google search. But that doesn’t mean that users are happy. A recent poll by consumer analytics platform CivicsCience found that 36% of US adults are related to AI and therefore are unlikely to buy from brands that use AI in their advertising.
According to Google, advertisers are already using performance max, shopping and search campaigns on “Broad Match.” This is entitled to display ads in AI mode. US users can see ads, particularly in AI mode, across desktop and mobile, viewing search and shopping ads.
Some of Google’s rivals have experimented with or are considering advertising for AI products. The AI-powered search engine Perplexity launched advertising last November and refused to collect data outside its platform, making it less targeted ads. Microsoft briefly piloted ads with Copilot Chatbot a few years ago. Openai also said that one day it could adopt an ad support model that supplements its subscription.
In related news on Wednesday, Google said it would expand its ads with its AI overview. This is a Google search feature that automatically integrates and summarizes answers to queries. Search and shopping ads will soon be appearing on US desktops ahead of the expansion for “select a country” for English mobile and desktop.
In the AI overview, AD is inserted into the summary generated by the AI ”when it relates to both the query and the provided response.” They are labelled “sponsors.”
Google first brought ads to the US AI overview on mobile last October.
Some publishers argue that Google’s moves threaten their advertising revenue. Google says it takes publishers’ concerns into consideration when advertising AI search experiences and advertising products for these experiences.