Google’s vice president for global ads explained that the company has no current plans to put advertisements inside its Gemini AI chatbot app, despite industry speculation about a possible 2026 rollout. Instead the focus remains on monetizing AI features tied to search such as AI Overviews and AI Mode where ads already appear and have engagement similar to traditional search ads.
The executive said search and Gemini serve different purposes with search centered on discovering information and commercial intent while Gemini assists with creative and analytical tasks.
Google is taking a cautious approach to ads in conversational AI because showing ads too early in an interaction can feel intrusive and undermine trust. The company has also been testing new ad formats like direct offers aimed at users closer to making purchases.
