Google Ads Surface in AI Mode: A New Era for Search

Google is increasingly showing ads inside AI Mode results, and it feels like a new ad surface is quietly taking shape. More users are spotting Google Ads embedded directly in AI Mode answers, which suggests the company’s months-long tests are picking up pace.

What changed

Greg Sterling posted a screenshot of an HVAC repair query and called it the first AI Mode ad he’d seen in the wild. Not long after, Brodie Clark replicated the behavior and shared multiple screenshots—he wrote, “the time has come.” Barry Schwartz also noted ongoing reports of people running into these ads on Search Engine Roundtable.

This isn’t just a cosmetic tweak. Ads inside AI Mode change how sponsored content sits alongside generated answers. They could shift visibility and click-through rates in ways advertisers will care about. Early adopters might see less competition and new formats; they might also get stronger engagement. Or maybe not — there’s some uncertainty here, and that’s worth admitting.

Why this matters

If Google normalizes ads inside AI experiences, AI Mode becomes more than an experiment. It becomes a bona fide ad channel. That would nudge marketers to rethink where they buy attention, how they write ad copy, and which metrics they trust.

Will it roll out widely? Likely, and soon. The tests expand, the sightings grow, and the signal is getting clearer.

Let us know what you think — did you see an AI Mode ad yet? Leave a comment and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), or LinkedIn for more updates.

Did you know that ads coming to ChatGPT? Here is why.

Sources:

• www.support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16297775?hl=en
• www.searchengineland.com/google-ads-inside-ai-mode-tests-expand-464979
• www.seroundtable.com/google-ads-in-ai-mode-results-40479.html