Google Search’s AI evolution includes more ads

Google’s AI-powered Search era apparently also extends to its ads. Now, when you search for a product, Google’s Gemini AI chatbot will surface relevant items and generate a “custom explainer” about why you should purchase a specific one.

The update comes just one day after Google revealed a new Search box for larger, more conversational queries, along with a focus on AI-generated results. In an example shared by Google, someone searching for a “compact espresso pod machine” might see a Nespresso Vertuo Up under a “Sponsored Product” label, alongside an AI-generated description saying:

For a quality machine, look for capsule compatibility and flavor diversity, the ability to produce rich crema, a fast heat up, and one-touch options for custom cup sizes and iced coffee. Slim, fast-starting machine using Vertuo capsules with rich flavor extraction and customization brew concentrations (e.g. for iced coffee). Heats up in 3s and makes 6 cup sizes.

Search will also surface ads with a built-in chatbot. These ads will show an “Ask a question” button, which you can press to start a conversation with Gemini. The AI chatbot will then use the information from a product or service’s website to answer your questions, and can also prompt you to fill out a form to put you in touch with the business.

Google is testing new kinds of ads within AI Mode — its chatbot-style Search experience — as well. The company first introduced a “sponsored” result for some queries in AI Mode last year, but these ad formats seem even more in your face.

One of these options could surface a sponsored product that answers a specific question, like, “What are some low-maintenance ways to make my home smell amazing?” AI Mode could present a “sponsored” result for an air freshener beneath its response, complete with a product description and images. In Google’s example, the ad appears to take up the entire screen once you scroll over it.

Google is also piloting an ad format that prominently shows sponsored products or services within a list of recommendations. If you’re looking for a language-learning service, for instance, AI Mode could serve up an ad for Duolingo at the bottom of the list, with information about the app’s features.

“We’re reinventing ads for AI Search so they feel like helpful additions to your conversation,” Vidhya Srinivasan, Google’s vice president of ads and commerce, writes in the announcement. “These next-generation ad formats close the gap between a person’s initial question and their final purchase, while making it easier to discover new brands along the way.”