Google introduces ads to AI Overviews, launches AI-organised search results

Google is now incorporating ads into its AI-powered search summaries, known as AI Overviews, and launching a new feature: AI-organised search results pages. These changes are primarily rolling out to mobile users in the US.

AI Overviews, concise summaries generated by Google’s AI for specific search queries, will now feature ads for queries deemed commercially relevant. For instance, a search for removing grass stains might trigger product recommendations within the AI Overview. These ads, clearly labelled as “Sponsored”, will be sourced from existing Google Shopping and Search campaigns, ensuring advertisers don’t need to take additional action. However, Google has stated that advertisers won’t have granular reporting on ad performance within AI Overviews for the time being.

Alongside the introduction of ads, Google is also refining the presentation of AI Overviews. The company is giving more prominence to cited web pages within the summaries, a change implemented after testing showed a subsequent increase in traffic to these sources. This updated design is being rolled out globally to all regions where AI Overviews are currently available.

In a further move to integrate AI into search, Google is launching AI-organised search results pages for US-based mobile users. This new feature, currently limited to searches related to recipes and meal ideas, provides a curated page of information drawn from various online sources, including forums, articles, and videos. This is distinct from AI Overviews and represents a new way Google is using AI to organise and present search results. Google intends to expand this functionality to encompass other search categories in the coming months.

These changes reflect Google’s ongoing efforts to maintain its dominance in the search market amidst the rise of AI-powered competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity. By incorporating ads into AI Overviews and introducing AI-organised search results, Google aims to enhance user experience while also capitalising on the commercial potential of its AI capabilities. However, the move to include ads within AI Overviews has sparked debate, with some users expressing concerns about potential clutter and the blurring of lines between organic and sponsored content.

Sources: Search Engine Land, TechCrunch, The Verge

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