Google is testing ads in AI Mode
We now know what Google's ongoing tests for AI Mode ads look like. An SEO consultant named Brodie Clark spotted the company inserting ads into query results from its AI Mode. These ads show up in the bottom of search results in the Gemini-powered AI Mode. They are labeled as "sponsored" content, but otherwise look similar to other links whipped up by the chatbot.
Despite Clark's claims that this was "the first time ever," a Google spokesperson says the result shown is akin to similar tests it's been running this year. "People seeing ads in AI Mode in the wild is simply part of Google's ongoing tests, which we've been running for several months," the spokesperson said. The push to start offering ads in AI Mode was announced in May. The company also told 9to5Google that there are no current plans to fully update AI Mode to incorporate ads. Those are nice words, but AI has to make money somehow and ads seem to be a good way to do that.
The time has come. Google is now showing ads within AI Mode for the first time ever.Similar to the ads that I had originally spotted showing within AI overviews earlier this year, the placement is at the bottom of the response.And as you can see, the ad results are labelled… pic.twitter.com/JZa7g8rS2N— Brodie Clark (@brodieseo) November 21, 2025
For now, the software seems to be prioritizing organic links over sponsored links, but we all know how insidious ads can be once the floodgates open. AI presents an especially slippery slope here, as these chatbots are often advertised as personal assistants. I don't really want a personal assistant barking ads at me 24/7.
Incidentally, there doesn't seem to be any way to hide the aforementioned sponsored links. Google Search lets users hide sponsored results once they scroll past them.
It sure looks like our free ride is already coming to an end, as AI companies are really speedrunning through that whole enshittification thing. X recently announced that it would be incorporating ads into query results.
I love Sora 2Sam Altman must love this too pic.twitter.com/YexwVEoBKQ— Adyseus (@Adyseku) October 1, 2025
There are also rumors that OpenAI has been hiring people to turn ChatGPT into an ad platform. That company's recently-launched AI social media slop factory Sora reportedly burns through $15 million a day generating videos of Sam Altman eating pizza in space or whatever.
Update, November 21, 5PM ET: This story was updated after publish with comment from Google clarifying the ads in AI Mode are part of an ongoing test and there are no plans to roll ads out to more users at this point.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-starts-testing-ads-in-ai-mode-192800265.html?src=rss
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