Google will roll out ads within AI Overviews beyond the U.S. to select English-speaking markets by the end of 2025, the company confirmed during its Google Access event last week.
As AI-generated answers become a central part of Search, this expansion could reshape how advertisers reach users – with ads appearing directly alongside AI summaries rather than traditional text results.
Ads in AI Overviews were first unveiled at Google Marketing Live 2025, allowing brands to appear within generative responses when users ask complex, multi-part queries.
Google’s gradual rollout will give advertisers and users time to adapt to new ad placements and formats – and could provide early insights into how generative AI changes ad visibility, performance, and measurement across Search.
For advertisers, AI Overviews represent both an opportunity and a challenge – blending paid placements into AI-generated answers could drive richer engagement but may also require rethinking how to optimize for discovery and intent in a more conversational search environment. (Search Engine Land)
Also read: Reportage Ads Surge in Popularity as Marketers Blur the Lines Between Journalism and Advertising
Google Adds AI Features To Search, New Search Ads Controls
Google is rolling out some updates to Search, which will impact how ads are displayed, and how people are able to use generative AI in their discovery process.
First off, Google’s announced a change to the way that sponsored results are displayed in Search results, with a new tagged section for paid text ads within the SERP.
As you can see in this example, sponsored results will now get their own labeled section within the results page, which you’ll also be able to shut down if you only want to see organic results.
As explained by Google:
“Text ads on the search results page will now be grouped with a single ‘Sponsored results’ label. This new, larger label stays visible as people scroll, making it clear which results are sponsored, upholding our industry-leading standards for ad label prominence. We’re also adding a new ‘Hide sponsored results’ control that allows you to collapse text ads with a single click if you want to focus only on organic results.” (Social Media Today)
Google Q3 Report: AI Mode, AI Overviews Lift Total Search Usage
Google used its Q3 earnings call to argue that AI features are expanding search usage rather than cannibalizing it.
CEO Sundar Pichai described an “expansionary moment for Search,” adding that Google’s AI experiences “highlight the web” and send “billions of clicks to sites every day.”
Pichai said overall queries and commercial queries both grew year over year, and that the growth rate increased in Q3 versus Q2, largely driven by AI Overviews and AI Mode.
AI Mode queries doubled in Q3, reaching 75M daily active users.
AI Overviews’ query-growth effect was “even stronger” in Q3. (Search Engine Journal)
Google Ads turns 25: A look back at the biggest changes
Google officially announced AI Max for Search campaigns — enabling automation of keywords, creative and landing pages.
In the following months advertisers kept noticing even more capabilities for this new functionality:
- Additional insights on rollout, keyword-less targeting, geo controls and reporting enhancements.
- Brand inclusion/exclusion controls integrated into the AI Max settings panel for new campaigns.
- AI Max appears as its own match type in reporting dashboards — giving advertisers visibility into automated matches.
- Reporting now allows viewing search terms, ad headlines and landing pages together for AI Max campaigns. (
- Google introduced a new experiment type for testing AI Max within campaigns (50/50 split control-variant).
- New “Sources” column shows where AI Max traffic comes from (landing page inclusion, expanded matches etc.).
Privacy concerns continue.
In October 2025, after industry concerns of Google’s privacy solution and Google saying they will no longer be removing third party cookies from Chrome, Google officially shut down its Privacy Sandbox initiative, which aimed to replace third-party cookies with privacy-preserving ad technologies.
In February 2025, Google introduced a 540-day cap on Customer Match list durations across its advertising platforms. (Search Engine Land)
With Google’s latest redesign grouping ads under a single “Sponsored Results” header and offering a hide option, brands are being pushed to reimagine their ad playbooks
Google’s latest redesign of its search ads might look like a minor visual change at first glance, but its business implications run deeper than most marketers anticipated.
The company’s move to group paid listings under a new “Sponsored Results” header, complete with a “Hide sponsored results” toggle, is quietly rewriting how users perceive, interact with, and trust digital advertising.
The update, which is rolling out globally, replaces the familiar one-and-one-label format with a collective banner that clearly separates sponsored content from organic results.
As users scroll, the header stays fixed on top, signalling a new era of transparency-driven advertising.
For Google, this is an exercise in user experience refinement. For advertisers, it’s a turning point that could change how billions of rupees in digital ad budgets are spent and measured. (Exchange4Media)
Google Updates Search and Discover With Collapsible Ads, AI Features and More
Google is rolling out updates to Search and Discover that introduce AI-powered features, improved navigation, and a new option to collapse … (TechCrunch)
Google doubles down on AI ads before the holiday rush
Google is rolling out a fresh wave of AI-driven marketing tools just as retailers and brands gear up for the holiday season.
The company’s latest announcement centers on AI Max, a new beta feature that powers search ads inside AI summaries rather than just keyword matches.
The move signals Google’s determination to anchor advertising directly inside its evolving AI search experience, a shift that could redefine how shoppers discover products online.
Inside Google’s latest announcement
At a press event, Google’s global ads vice president Dan Taylor explained how AI Max changes the ad landscape. Instead of only surfacing products on direct search terms, AI Max allows ads to appear in multi-intent queries. (ContentGrip)
Google Ads news, analysis, trends, tactics and how-to
Google Ads’ new text guidelines feature begins rolling out. Advertisers can now guide Google’s AI to create text assets that align with brand tone, messaging, and compliance standards.
Google Ads is testing auto-set “New Customer Value,” sparking confusion and transparency concerns among advertisers.
Google Ads to permanently delete canceled accounts after six months.
Google adds ‘Sources’ column to AI Max search term reports. Google’s new Sources column in AI Max reports shows where traffic comes from, giving advertisers clearer insight into AI-driven matches.
Google opens Shopping Ads to physical goods subscriptions. Google lets U.S. merchants offer product subscriptions in Shopping ads, creating new recurring revenue and customer loyalty opportunities.
Google Ads loosens prescription drug term restrictions for non-promotional use. Google will now allow limited non-promotional use of prescription drug terms in ads, while keeping keyword certification rules the same. (Search Engine Land)
FAQ
What is the latest major update in Google Ads regarding AI?
Google is expanding ad placements into its AI Overviews, allowing ads to appear within generative AI summaries rather than just traditional search results. It also introduced AI Max for Search campaigns, automating keywords, creatives, and landing pages.
How do sponsored results now appear differently in Google Search?
Sponsored text ads are now grouped under a single “Sponsored Results” label that remains visible as users scroll. Google has also added a “Hide sponsored results” toggle for users who prefer to view just organic results.
Does AI advertising on Google reduce click traffic to websites?
Google reports that its AI features are adding search volume rather than cannibalizing it. In Q3, commercial queries and overall search traffic rose, with AI Mode and AI Overviews contributing significantly to growth.
What is AI Max in Google Ads?
AI Max is a new campaign format that automates targeting, creative, and landing pages. It includes tools like keyword-less targeting, brand inclusion/exclusion settings, and a new “Sources” column in reports to show how AI-driven traffic originates.
How should U.S. advertisers adapt to these changes?
Advertisers should experiment with AI-integrated formats like AI Max, monitor the new “Sources” data, and optimize for intent in conversational queries. Also, updating ad creative to fit within AI Overviews and staying flexible will be critical in this evolving landscape.