by Austin LeClear
on October 13, 2025
If you’ve been hearing whispers about Google AI Mode and wondering what it means for your business or Google Ads campaigns, you’re not alone. Google has officially started rolling out ads within its AI-powered search experience, a shift that could completely redefine how we think about visibility, search intent, and the customer journey.
In this post, we’ll unpack what Google AI Mode really is, how it works, and — most importantly — how you can make sure your ads are appearing where your customers are now searching.
Prefer video? Check out Google AI Mode Ads: Everything You Need to Know on YouTube:
Still with us? Good, let’s dive in.
What Is Google AI Mode?
Google AI Mode is Google’s LLM-powered search engine — a conversational, AI-powered response layer built directly into Google Search. Instead of users typing short keyword phrases, they’re now having full conversations with Google’s most powerful AI search engine.
Think of it like ChatGPT or Claude, but baked right into Google Search.
So, instead of someone typing “best running shoes,” a user might ask:
“I’m training for my first marathon and need running shoes that are great for long distances but don’t cause knee pain — what should I buy?”
Google AI Mode responds conversationally, weaving in relevant content, follow-up questions, and ads that appear contextually aligned with the conversation.
This new experience is already attracting massive engagement. Google claims that over 100 million users have tried AI Mode so far, with early data showing users’ queries are two to three times longer than traditional search terms.
Longer, more conversational search terms mean more context, and more context means Google can deliver more relevant searches — and more relevant ads.
Why This Matters for Advertisers
This isn’t just a new format. It’s a shift in how search campaigns interact with intent. At its core, Google AI Mode changes the way users discover information and products.
Instead of quick one-word queries, customers are exploring topics, asking follow-up questions, and often engaging in conversations. That gives Google deeper insights into what users want, allowing advertisers to reach specific customers at more meaningful moments in their customer ad journeys.
If you’ve relied on keyword-only targeting, this shift toward keywordless technology — where Google’s AI powered response system interprets meaning and context — is going to feel very different.
But here’s the good news: if you’re already running the right types of campaigns, your ads (might) already be showing in AI Mode.
How to Get Your Ads into Google AI Mode
Google has confirmed that ads in AI Mode can show as Text and Shopping ads from Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns.
That means if you’re running Search campaigns, Performance Max campaigns, or Shopping campaigns, your ad content could already be appearing in these conversational search results.
However, to actually ensure coverage in AI Mode, you need to meet a few conditions:
- Use Broad Match in Your Search Campaigns
Google’s AI-powered targeting depends on broader intent signals rather than exact keywords. Running broad match helps Google’s advanced reasoning systems understand user intent, even when their queries don’t exactly match your existing keywords. - Enable AI Max for Search
AI Max is Google’s new AI-powered search upgrade. It’s designed to blend deep search reasoning with automatically created assets and smarter search term matching. When you enable it, Google uses internal data, past searches, and generated assets to deliver a more relevant response to each user. - If you’re running AI Max or testing it in beta, your ads are much more likely to appear in AI Mode.
- Run Performance Max or Shopping Campaigns
Performance Max campaigns use AI-powered asset optimization to determine the best placements across Google properties — Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, and now AI Mode. - So, if you’re running Performance Max or Shopping campaigns, your creative assets, product feeds, and ad group level settings can help your products show in the AI-powered search experience. That said, if you are only running Shopping (without Performance Max, AI Max, or broad match keywords), you won’t get text ad coverage, just Shopping coverage.
Availability and Rollout
As of now, AI Mode ads are only available in the U.S., in English, across both desktop and mobile. But given the rapid adoption and Google’s push before the Q4 holiday season, expansion to other regions and languages is inevitable.
This is still early — but it’s real, and it’s happening now.
Reporting (or Lack Thereof)
Here’s the frustrating part: there’s no dedicated reporting for AI Mode yet.
That means even if your ads are appearing alongside specific brands or in AI-powered search results, you won’t see it reflected in your search terms report or campaign dashboard.
Unlike AI Max, which provides insight into landing pages, search terms, and headlines used, AI Mode currently offers zero transparency. You can’t see where, when, or how often your ads are showing.
So, for now, you’ll need to trust Google’s internal data and keep running your campaigns with the right structure.
Feed Optimization: The Key to E-Commerce Visibility
If you’re in e-commerce, you’ll want to pay special attention to your feed hygiene.
Your product feed is now more than just a data file — it’s how the AI Mode engine understands your products.
Think about it: Google’s most powerful AI search is parsing thousands of data points in just minutes, trying to determine which products are most relevant for a user’s conversational intent.
If your product titles, attributes, and descriptions aren’t clean and optimized, your ads may never appear in these new AI powered search layers.
So:
- Keep your product titles detailed but human-readable.
- Add rich attributes like size, color, and material.
- Update pricing, availability, and GTINs regularly.
- And make sure your images and ad creative assets are up to date.
If managing this feels overwhelming, feed management platforms like Channable, Feedonomics, or DataFeedWatch can automate asset optimization and feed syncing across your Google account.
Final Thoughts
AI Mode isn’t just a new Search feature — it’s a preview of Google’s future. The lines between search, conversation, and commerce are blurring fast.
For businesses, this means two big things:
- Broader, Contextual Reach
You’ll be able to reach specific customers based on context — not just keywords. With Google’s advanced reasoning capabilities, ads can appear during conversational discovery moments when a customer is still forming intent. - New Controls Are Coming
Google is expected to introduce brand controls, URL controls, and even keywordless matches to give advertisers more say in how their ads appear within AI-powered search results. - These new controls will likely align with Performance Max’s evolution — combining comprehensive suite reporting, incremental performance tracking, and automatically generated assets.
So, if you’re already running Performance Max, Shopping, or AI Max for Search, congratulations —you’re ahead of the curve. You’re likely already participating in Google AI Mode, even if you can’t see it yet.
Here’s what to do next:
- Double down on feed optimization. Clean data equals higher relevance.
- Use broad match and AI-powered targeting for deeper query coverage.
- Keep your ad content and creative assets fresh — Google’s AI powered response engine loves variety.
- Watch for reporting updates — they’ll arrive as Google rolls out new transparency features.
- Think conversationally. As queries get longer, your ad content should align with natural language intent, not just keywords.
We’re entering an era where Google Search becomes Google Conversation, powered by the world’s most advanced AI systems.
Helpful Links:
In short: if you want to appear in the future of search, you don’t need a new campaign — you just need to make sure your existing structure is ready for Google’s AI Mode. The shift isn’t coming. It’s already here.
