Google Tests Ads Within Its AI Overviews Feature

(RTTNews) - After enhancing AI-powered search capabilities, Google during the Google Marketing Live Event stated that it will soon pilot search and shopping ads within its automatically generated AI Overviews, recently introduced to US users, displacing traditional top-ranking links from content providers

As illustrated in a Google blog post, search results for queries like "how do I get wrinkles out of clothes" now feature a "sponsored" section showcasing ads for Downy and other laundry brands within the AI Overview. Sponsored ads will be displayed when deemed relevant to both the query and the information within the AI Overview.

Tech industry expert Shelly Palmer expressed concerns about Google's ad experiments, noting that while ads within AI Overviews benefit Google, they do not compensate or support the original creators and publishers of the content leveraged for the AI Overview.

According to insider perspectives, Google's primary objective with Search is not just to organize information but also to enhance reach, engagement, and return on investment for advertisers.

Meanwhile, Google faces legal action from the Justice Department and various states, accused of maintaining an unlawful monopoly through its advertising technology platform.