Google’s AI Overview will include ads

Google claims that its AI Overview will only include relevant ads.

Google’s newly introduced AI search, or AI Overview, provides the most relevant information at the top of the webpage. However, it didn’t take long for the new feature also to include ads.

AI Overview is now being tested in the US, with expansion to other countries coming later.

The idea behind adding ads to AI summaries is to help users find a specific product faster.

“We’ve heard that people find the ads appearing above and below the AI-generated overview helpful,” shared Google, providing an example of a search that asks, “How do I get wrinkles out of clothes?” and a sponsored post that shows products “to unwrinkle your clothes.”

Such posts are only shown when “the opportunity to appear within the AI Overview in a section clearly labeled as ‘sponsored’ when they’re relevant to both the query and the information in the AI Overview. “

The ads will appear from existing Search, Performance Max, and Standard Shopping campaigns. Changes might be introduced to the feature as Google is testing and getting insights from “advertisers and the industry.”