"Google has already experimented by placing shopping and text ads below the first search response shown in AI Mode, in the U.S. for desktop and mobile, and began integrating ads into the first response in the fourth quarter of 2025. Should those placements become more accessible next year, they'll be of particular interest to retailers, given the increasing use of AI tools among shoppers."
"It's also currently the only way for brands to get their paid messaging in front of AI Overview or AI Mode users. The tech company has been displaying ads above and below Overview summaries, and in AI Mode results when certain conditions are met - but it's not a placement advertisers can currently request. Instead, buyers report Google has been selecting ads run through AI Max for inclusion, a little like a prize bingo game."
AI Max launched in May as a suite of AI-powered targeting and creative tools for Google Ads, Google Ads Editor, Search Ads 360 and the Google Ads API. The tools can match ads to relevant searches, including unbid queries, customize ad copy to user intent, and automatically direct users to optimized landing pages via search term, text and URL optimization. AI Max currently serves as the only pathway for paid messaging to appear in AI Overview and AI Mode results, with Google selecting eligible ads. Early experiments placed ads in AI Mode and integrated ads into first responses; retailers show strong interest amid large AI-driven traffic gains and mixed advertiser results.
Read at Digiday
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